Kamen Rider Maori
by Jiro Uchiha
Summary: All Ata wanted was to learn about how various cultures across the world fought. He didn't expect to end up involved in anything serious. But then again, if he could get a fight out of it, he was always ready to involve himself in something new. Even if that was swearing to kill people in colorful super suits
1. Haka 1: Proposition

_Here we go again! What's poppin? My name is Jiro Uchiha, and I'm here to have some fun, and I hope that you have some fun with me. I've been thinking and doing research for this one for a while, so I seriously appreciate you reading this, and I appreciate everyone that likes it. I thank you all, and appreciate everyone's continued views and support, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF Inc._

 _Edit: Also, don't be upset or surprised if any current or future references to other Tokusatsu programs are spoilers. Just puttin it out there._

 _It's chilly again it seems._ He thought, walking along the street he became accustomed to walking. He stretched his toes as he stopped at a corner, still unaccustomed to wearing shoes on a daily basis, footwear being an option where he was from. Looking both ways, he crossed the street while still deep in thought. He rubbed his chin, feeling small, wiry hairs against the flesh of his hands. _Should I shave my facial hair off? Or should I keep it until I go home?_ He wondered, shrugging as he looked ahead, noticing his destination in the distance. _Wonder what the old man called me in for. Usually he only needs me when he runs errands._ He thought to himself, humming as he approached the property. He reached behind his back, feeling the weapons he carried with him everywhere, his lips twitching upwards at the thought of finally using them.

When he finally reached the property, he noticed that the usual entrance was slightly ajar, his feet hitting the ground at an increased speed as he jogged over to the door, pushing it open and stepping into the dojo, making sure to close the door behind him. He turned around, noticing 'the old man' standing in the center of the room, looking slightly flustered. "Something wrong Mr. Igasaki?" he asked, his tongue barely accustomed to speaking Japanese, his foreign accent rather noticeable. The man sighed, adjusting his glasses. "Ata-San, would you mind watching over the dojo while I run some errands? It seems the Kids ate a lot more than usual, so I need to go out and pick up something for dinner." he said, and the foreigner nodded, not minding the task.

"Will any of them be back soon? I'd like to start training whenever possible." he said, and the man chuckled nervously. "I don't think so. They decided to take the day off after fighting a really strong Yokai, so I should be back before them." he said, and Ata frowned ever so slightly. He nodded, his brown eyes not not belying any emotion. "That's fine. I can always train by myself. How long will you be gone?" he asked, and the older male hummed. "A couple of hours. I should be back before three." he said, and Ata nodded, finding the few hours with the dojo to himself decent compensation. The man smiled, bowing before walking off, leaving Ata by himself in the large open room. "Alone again, huh?" he asked, no one around to respond to him.

Moments later, he stood in the center of the dojo's main room, exhaling as his mind slowly cleared. He crouched slightly, spreading his arms out and opening his hands broadly, a fighting stance that he had used for a while now, his body moving automatically as his mind began to wander. _I've been here for at least a month, haven't I?_ He asked himself, weaving from side to side before throwing a volley of hooking palms at the air, jumping back and closing his fists as he switched his fighting style, his hands coming up to his face as his left leg bent and rose off the ground slightly. _They agreed to train me in return for me helping them care for their property and helping them with injuries, but it's already been a month._ He said, a slight hint of frustration in his training.

The pictures sitting on a dresser shook, the force of his spinning elbow much more than he intended. He shook his head, trying to calm down as he retook his fighting stance, a deep breath all he needed to relax. _I understand them though, they have to fight monsters on a regular basis. Training a foreigner over one's self wouldn't be ideal._ He thought to himself, standing straight after a small volley of butterfly kicks. He spun, his leg bent as he came down, his body freezing as his leg locked up, his posture straightening as he bowed and exhaled. "My apologies for that. Didn't mean to swing at you." he said, the young ninja waving his hands. "No no, it's fine. I should've said something when I walked in."

Ata chuckled, stepping back as he watched the ninja walk over to a corner and sit down. "Did Uncle Tsumuji ask you to watch the dojo?" he asked, and Ata nodded as he continued training, practicing combinations of punches and elbows. "Yes. Mr. Igasaki requested that I watch over the dojo while he went food shopping. He mentioned that you guys would be gone longer than him. So why are you back so early, Nagi-San?" he asked, the yellow Ninger shrugging. "I just felt like coming home. Everyone else is out eating." he said, and Ata nodded, throwing a left kick straight up, bending his leg before calmly placing it down, his leg hitting the ground and his hands opening as he transitioned fighting styles again.

"You train a lot. Is there something you're training for?" the yellow Ninja asked, and Ata hummed, shaking his head. "No. I train because I wish to become stronger. My tribe are descended from a great warrior, and I was interested in fighting and becoming a warrior from a very young age." he explained, and Nagi hummed. "So why come to Japan?" he asked, and Ata shrugged. "Australia was less successful than I anticipated and genuinely _not_ a pleasant experience, so I came to Japan to learn as much as possible about it's culture and battle styles." he explained, his stance becoming more mobile as he started to bounce while talking. "I trained under two great teachers that taught me the styles I use now. I also learned a little about Samurai battle tactics and even had a few sumo matches. I figured that before I move on to China and Mongolia, I would learn what Ninja had to offer." he explained, spinning and jumping as he came down with his right elbow.

Bouncing back to a standing position, he frowned slightly. "Of course, the Igasaki were the most famed and powerful ninja I could find. And after a month of aiding them in various ways, I figured that I would have at least learned how they wield a blade." He said, sounding slightly bitter. Nagi chuckled, almost nervously. "I would try and help, but I'm honestly not even as strong as Kasumi yet." he said, causing the foreigner to raise a brow, the statement a bit hard to believe. He exhaled, running his fingers though his long black hair before reaching for his ponytail to pull it tighter, the ring of hair around it also pulled tighter. He glanced to the ninja, realizing that the statement wasn't so farfetched after all, remembering that the yellow ninja was infact younger than him.

A ringtone sounded, Nagi standing as he pulled his phone from his pocket and answered it. Ata watched the boy sigh before nodding. He closed the phone and looked to Ata. "There's another Yokai." he said, and Ata nodded. "Far be it from me to keep you." he said, and Nagi squeezed the phone in his hands. "I know, why don't you come with me? You can watch us fight and stuff. I'll tell Uncle Tsumuji so you don't get in trouble." he said, and Ata rose a brow. _So now one of them shows an interest in my progress?_ He wondered, nodding with a smile. "I'd be glad too. Just don't move too fast, not all of us are ninja." he said, Nagi laughing nervously as the duo set out.

When they reached the scene, near a fountain in the city, Ata noticed that Nagi had already pulled a sword from someplace he couldn't honestly pinpoint, pulling a shuriken from his pocket and placing it inside a hole in the blade. He spun the blade, laying the spine against his shoulder and placing his thumb on the shuriken. "Shuriken Change!" he called, spinning the shuriken as bright yellow energy covered his body, his clothing replaced with a bright yellow suit, a blocky four pointed star on a helmet he wore as he leapt into battle, Ata watching with genuine interest.

Noticing that there were four other ninjas in colored suits, he began to watch as they fought off a horde of blue soldiers, all armed with large blades, their swordsmanship impressing the foreigner. He noticed a single warrior, a demonic man with a pair of horns and unusual blade like white hair walk through the horde, the five ninjas all turning to him, this demon swordsman drawing his attention as his blood began to boil, his heart racing as his hands began to quiver, his teeth grinding together. _I want to fight him._ He thought, the fact that he was no match for the demon swordsman something that didn't cross his mind. However, Ata's almost bloodthirsty trance was broken by a scream.

He spun, seeing a small group of the blue soldiers attacking a woman and her teenage son, the boy trying to defend his mother and failing. The boy was kicked away, the woman scrambling over to her injured son, Ata's heart only beating once before he sprung into action, running over to the woman and her son. He dropped down to the woman, who looked at him with surprise on her features, the large, bronze skinned man an unexpected presence. "Get out of here and get him to a doctor." he said, the woman nodding as she pulled the boy to his feet and began to scramble off, the five blue soldiers all brandishing their large blades at him, his eyes widening as his body tensed. His left hand came up to his throat, his hand closing into a thumbs up as he rolled his shoulders.

He turned his hand sideways and placed it at the right side of his throat. He inhaled, screaming loudly as he pulled his thumb across his own throat, sticking his tongue out as both a taunt and declaration. "Come on! I'll send you back to the Underworld from whence ye came!" He screamed in his native tongue, reaching behind his back to his waist, pulling his weapons from his belt and gripping them tightly. He crouched slightly, his eyes briefly glancing to the pair of greenstone clubs in his hands, their flat, round shape so familiar to him. He watched them spread out, his eyes facing forward as he felt them out, the one behind him to the left making the first move.

He spun, weaving around the large blade as it came down, trying to keep his breathing even as he swung his left club, striking the creature in the throat, twisting his body to the left as he threw his right arm forward, jabbing the creature in the face repeatedly. He shoved the creature back, putting his clubs back in his belt as he grabbed the large sword the creature used and spun, dropping down to one knee as he blocked a pair of downward swings from two more of the creatures. He rose up, shoving the creatures back before gripping the blade in both hands, swinging in a broad arc from right to left, the two targets of his attack falling back clutching their chests. Feeling one of the two remaining creatures approaching from behind, he continued the swing, a broad spin that caused the creatures to take a step back.

Ata jumped back, spinning the blade in his hands as he glanced down, seeing the two injured creatures at his feet. As fast as he could, he slammed the blade into each of their faces, their bodies going limp as he dropped the blade and redrew his clubs, his breathing still under control as he glanced behind him. Beneath the bridge like archway he was on, the demon swordsman was easily combating all five of the ninja that were _supposed_ to be his teachers. He snickered as he rolled around another swing from the large blade the creatures all seemed to have, a left straight jab striking the creature in the throat, his body moving forward as it stumbled back, his body turning to the left suddenly as he put both of his clubs up, blocking another downward swing. He began to grow irritated at how linear the fighting style of the creatures was, lifting his arms to expose both of their chests as he kicked the creature back.

"Can you idiots do anything than basic overhead swings?" he asked, forgetting that the things likely couldn't understand him. _Two left, neither in peak condition._ He thought, moving to his right and somehow surprising the creature, showing Ata that they had some form of sentience. Tightening his grip on the clubs he held, he swung his arms out wide, slamming the clubs into the creature's temples, it's body going limp immediately as it fell back. Sensing the remaining creature come from behind, Ata leaned forward, pushing the body of the dead soldier back as he rolled over it and returned to his feet, exhaling.

Ata readjusted his stance, preparing himself to fight the final soldier. _So these are the things the Ninja face on a daily basis, huh? They aren't that strong it seems._ He thought to himself, his left leg coming up to take a step forward when the ground shook, his posture wavering as he stumbled back, his attention shifting to the battle beneath him, the demon swordsman laughing as four of the ninjas fell, seemingly defeated, only the red ninja remaining on his feet, and barely at that. _How could they have been defeated so easily?_ He wondered, not paying attention to the remaining soldier approaching him. His feet shifted, his grip on his clubs tightening as he spun, dropping down to one knee and jabbing out with both clubs, piercing the armor like flesh of the creature, who dropped it's blade as Ata grit his teeth, pushing upwards and lifting the creature off the ground.

"So you dare attack me from behind? Are you creatures not honorable enough to face me?" he asked, throwing the creature overhead as he pulled the clubs from it's abdomen, turning and looking beneath him to see the demon swordsman looking at the blue creature that was spasming on the ground, dying from the wounds Ata inflicted. The demon looked up to where Ata was, the foreign fighter locking eyes with the monster, his grip on the bloodstained clubs as tight as ever as the demon jabbed his chin at him, Ata turning around to see the original blue creature, the one he thought he defeated first, swinging in a broad arc from Ata's right to his left. _He warned me?_ He wondered briefly, bending his arms and crossing his clubs in a block akin to a two bladed block. The smooth surface of the clubs stopped the large blade momentarily, but the creature grabbed the blade with his other hand.

This added force broke Ata's guard, his arms and the clubs sliding to the left as the edge of the blade struck the center of his right upper arm, tearing his flesh open from the center of his upper arm to the underside of his elbow, his body's instinctive reaction being to throw a right kick that struck the creature, whose left elbow must have been shattered based on the shout he let out before dropping his blade. His body taking a fight or flight response to the wound, Ata dropped both of his clubs and ran forward, his entire body tensing up as he caught the creature in a tight clinch, striking it in the face with a string of hard knees before releasing his right arm from the clinch, holding the creature tight as he released a flurry of hard elbows, the stimulation from these elbows causing his bloodied arm to secrete more plasma than necessary.

Ata was enraged, losing count of how many elbows he struck the creature with, or how much blood he'd lost. The creature's skull was coated with both his blood and Ata's own, and the gray shirt the foreigner wore was stained red from the fight, the bronze skinned man standing over the creature's limp, lifeless body. He looked to the wound, noticing that it was in a spot he didn't want it to be in. He reached into his left pocket and pulled out a small roll of bandages he carried, wrapping the wound tightly as he walked over to his clubs, picking them up and flicking the blood from their rounded edges before wiping any remaining blood off on his shirt. He placed them back on his belt, his thoughts on the demon swordsman as he headed back to the Igasaki Dojo.

When the five ninja entered the dojo, the first thing they noticed was that Tsumuji, the older male that owned the dojo was there and that Ata, the foreigner charged with watching over said dojo, was not. They spread out, all wounded and worn from their recent battle, Tsumuji sighing with worry as he shook his head. "Do any of you know where Ata-San is? He said he'd watch the dojo for me, but I can't find him." he asked, and Nagi glanced to the floor. "I… sorta told him to follow me when Kasumi called me." he said, and the other four looked to him in surprise. "Nagi, why would you go and do something like that? He could have gotten seriously hurt, or worse." Kasumi said, the pink ninja rather disappointed. "You think I'll let something like that kill me?" a voice asked, the five turning to see Ata walk into the dojo.

"Ata-San, are you alright?" Nagi asked, the bronze skinned man nodding and exhaling. "Forgive me for arriving after you. Do any of you require medical treatment?" he asked, and each of them shook their head, rather surprised at the amount of blood on his shirt. "What happened to you?" Fuuka asked, Ata chuckling as he glanced to the white ninja. "I got into a little scuffle with some of those blue soldiers. Rather unimpressed at how linear their fighting is." he said, and Yakumo scoffed, Ata's eyes locking onto the blue ninja. "If it was so unimpressive, why are you covered in blood?" he asked, and Ata blinked. "I got distracted by the guy that handed you your ass on a silver platter and one of them snuck up on me. I got mad and beat him with the injured arm." he said, the blue ninja seeming rather uncomfortable with the latter part of that statement.

"Why did Gabi Raizou distract you?" Takaharu asked, Ata raising a brow at the red ninja. "So that's his name? Interesting." he said, scratching his chin as he glanced to his injured arm, shaking his head. "Oi! I asked you a question." Takaharu said, Ata exhaling. "I came to Japan to learn from the strongest Japanese warriors I could. Since that man not only defeated all five of you, but got my blood rushing, I was far too interested in him to notice the creature stalking me." he said, and Nagi chuckled nervously, drawing Ata's attention. "I sincerely thank you for this opportunity Nagi-San. Gauging both the power of the Igasaki ninja and their foes was quite the pleasant experience." he said, and the yellow ninja smiled nervously, nodding.

"Aren't you hurt? That wound seems pretty large." he asked, and Ata glanced to his arm. "It pains me, but I've been tattooed with chisels and cut with obsidian before. The only problem I have with this wound is that any scar will get in the way of more _moko._ " he said, and Kasumi blinked, tilting her head. "Moko?" Ata nodded, grabbing the collar of his shirt and pulling down, revealing intricate tattoos on his chest. "Moko is the traditional tattooing of my people. The word means everything from 'Marking' to 'Skin Carving' depending on tribal dialect and translation. Usually males receive moko on their faces, but since I spoke to my father and fellow tribesmen, we came to the consensus that if I was to travel outside of New Zealand, or Aotearoa as my people call it, that facial tattoos were not a good idea." he explained, the pink ninja nodding.

"And a scar will get in the way of this tribal tattooing?" she asked, and he nodded. "Of course. Because of my status as my 'Iwi _'_ , or tribe's ' _Ariki Ariki'_ , or the eldest son of the High Chief, my tattoos would be much more detailed and elaborate than say my cousin's or Uncle's, so any blemishes on my flesh pose an obstacle." Kasumi nodded to this, watching Ata glance to the sun, which had begun it's descent in the sky. "Regardless, since you are all home, and none of you require medical attention, or at least don't think you do, I will be on my way. Mr. Tsumuji, please don't hesitate to contact me if needed. Regardless of whether I'm being trained or not, observing a group of ninja is rather amusing." he said, bowing before he turned and departed, the older man sighing and shaking his head.

"He's a rather confusing fellow, isn't he?" the older man asked, and Takaharu snickered, shaking his head. "I don't know about confusing, but he makes me mad." he said, and Yakumo sighed. "For once, Takaharu is right. He had no reason to be condescending about our loss when he got injured by a Jukkarage." he said, bitterness audible in his tone. "There's no need to be bitter you two. Don't take out your anger on Ata-San when it's Gabi Raizou we lost to." Kasumi said, and the two sighed, seeming rather irritated regardless. "Kasumi is right you know." they heard, looking up to see their grandfather sitting on a beam above them as usual. "If you take out your anger on the wrong person, it will come back to bite you." he said, and Takaharu shook his head. "Yeah well tell Ata to not rub salt in the wound." he said, making the Last ninja shake his head at how immature his grandson was being.

On his walk home, Ata slowly began to wonder exactly what he was doing with himself, this thought sparked by the fact that he walked the streets of Japan with a bandaged arm, a bloodied shirt and a pair of greenstone clubs attack to the back of his pants. Yes, he was a warrior, his love of fighting reflected by every aspect of his life, from his name and background to the way he thought and carried himself. However, his respect for warriors worldwide caused him to be rather gullible, as evidenced by his status as a glorified housekeeper and his injuries, which wouldn't have happened if he was properly trained. This thought made him grit his teeth. _Did I really just think that ninja training was necessary regardless of all of my other skills and training?_ He shook his head, noticing that the area around him was rather empty, his absentminded wandering leading him to what seemed to be an abandoned hotel, the windows mostly boarded and the front entrance not attached to it's hinges.

He sighed, glancing around to see if he could find out where he was, groaning when he realized that he was actually lost. _Damn confusing ass country._ He cursed inwardly, remembering how easy it was to maneuver through New Zealand and Australia in comparison. "Hey! You lost pal?" Ata heard, turning his head to see a group of people walking towards him. _Black slacks, white buttoned shirts and black jackets. Hair slicked back, jewelry and a bad attitude. Stereotypical Yakuza or delinquents at the least._ He thought to himself, turning to the group, who at the moment numbered eight, ranging in height from slightly over five feet to slightly under six, Ata guessing the heaviest member of the group was one hundred and ninety pounds at the heaviest, much smaller than him at 6'3" and 275lbs. _Size advantage as always. Japan is rather lacking when it comes to large folk._ He thought with a chuckle.

"I am actually. I was wondering if you could direct me to my place. I recently moved to Japan, so I'm not familiar with everything yet." he said, speaking casually as he handed the man that spoke a slip of paper with his address. The man chuckled. "You really are stupid. You just gave us your address, which means that you won't be safe ever again." he said, Ata resisting the urge to roll his eyes when he heard cliché chuckles and knuckle cracking. Ata shook his head, feeling the urge to fight begin to rise up within him. "I'm looking for directions. Unfortunately, you lot are my only options since I have no idea where I am. Now why don't you be some good chaps and just give me directions?" he wondered, the man handing him the piece of paper back calmly.

"I guess you don't know how we work. See, we're Yakuza, so if you want directions, you'll hand over all of your money and valuable belongings. If not, we'll kick your ass and take it." he said, and Ata took a broad step back. "All of you have martial arts training, correct?" he asked, hearing that the Yakuza were more skilled than many other lesser known gangs in Japan. The men nodded, and Ata rolled his neck, spreading his hands and lifting them up to his face. "There's 50,000 yen in my wallet and two jade clubs in the back of my pants. Come get 'em." he said, taunting the men, who began to spread out. Ata began to smile, happy for a chance to clear his mind.

The first man moved forward, Ata watching him throw a straight left kick, his left hand shooting down and catching the man by the calf, his right palm slamming into his face as he lifted the man up and tossed him back. He turned to his right, catching the left fist of the second man, watching his right fist ball up and come in his direction, catching it with ease as he pulled the man forward while spreading his arms, jabbing his head forward and slamming his skull into the man's face, releasing his hands and kicking him back. He leaned to the right, seeing a boot fly past his vision, sighing as he dropped down and swept the man's other leg out with his right leg, rising up to a vertical base to see the man was screaming in pain, his face contorted by the split he was forced into. Ata swung his left leg, his foot colliding with the man's face as his screaming silenced.

Ata's forearms came up, blocking a pair of fists as his mind began to clear, his thoughts much more coherent as he rolled his arms around his foes', turning his hands and slamming his palms into the chest of the two men, catching their wrists and tugging them forward, sending them stumbling into the man he could tell was coming up from behind. Using the temporary malfunction in the strategy of the three men, Ata shifted his focus to the two men that remained, his broad, open hands slapping away each of their strikes with ease, the foreigner's strategy separating the men, each of them on either side of him. A right jab from the man on his left. He leaned forward, his right palm coming up and slapping away the right leg of the man on his right. He straightened his posture, the man on the right throwing a left cross. Ata spun and leaned back, watching the right leg of the man to his left begin to move.

Ata jabbed his left palm out, showing away the man on the right's extended arm, his offset posture only allowing him to respond with a broad right kick. Ata smiled, ducking as the two men collided, their legs hooking together as he shot up, rolling his arms in a monkey like fashion to hook around their legs and pull them off of the ground. He spun, the three men he shoved away having recovered and closed in, Ata using the two men dangling around his shoulders like chains as a shield, spinning his body to block strikes, the men taking out their companions for him, the much larger fighter spinning in a circle to create space as he loosed the two men, who crashed dazed and wounded to the ground. Ata noticed the three remaining men were cautious, the bronze skinned man having a chance to roll his shoulders and check on his wound.

"Is this really what the Yakuza are capable of? No wonder you guys are only threats to civilians." he said, and the three men all seemed rather aggravated by that statement. _Well, at least I can think straight again. Shouldn't end up wandering anymore unless I want to._ He thought to himself as he retook his fighting stance. "There's just the three of you guys left. Who wants to go first?" he asked, the men huddling up and whispering amongst each other, Ata most interested in the largest member of the trio, the near six foot tall man who was also likely the heaviest. Both of the small men stepped forward, reaching into their pockets and pulling out knives, Ata exhaling as he reached behind his back. "You guys _sure_ you wanna use weapons?" he asked, and the men grinned before stepping forward. Ata pulled upwards, spinning the clubs in his grip and lifting his hands.

He noted that the two men hesitated, glancing to each other before shouting and dashing forward wildly. Ata merely ducked, jabbing his clubs forward as the two men stumbled and hit the ground, clutching their thighs as he flicked the blood from his clubs and put them away. "I missed your thyroid artery on purpose, but note that if you get up I won't be so kind." he said, turning to the last remaining man. "Since you're the last one standing, I assume that it would be fair to suggest a simple one on one match?" he asked, the man nodding silently, running his hands through his short, dark brown hair as he took a stance that seemed familiar to Ata. "I believe I've heard this fighting style be referred to as 'Rhinoceros Fist', correct?" he asked, the man once more nodding silently.

Ata spread his palms, raising his hands up as he exhaled. _If this is the famed Rhinoceros Fist, I might actually have to take him seriously._ He thought, the two taking a single step forward in respect, nodding to each other before moving. Ata watched the man throw a left jab, blocking with his right palm, shoving the man's hand back and spinning, throwing a left backfist that was blocked by a left forearm, Ata throwing an overhand right cross that was avoided, a right cross striking his right shoulder, the recoil from the strike allowing him to readjust his hands, clenching them tight as he threw a right jab that struck his opponent, following up with a left jab and a right cross, his breathing slightly ragged as he continued to enjoy himself.

He watched his opponent cough before taking his stance, Ata's left leg starting to twitch, a signal that he wanted to take the fight seriously, his mind still in control as he spread his hands, regulating his breathing as he chose to make the first move. Ata threw an overhanded left palm, watching his opponent's posture adjust to respond, his body jerking as he twisted to jab his right palm up, striking his foe in the temple, using the recoil to follow up with a left kick, his opponent recovering and chopping his leg away with his right hand, an almost instinctual left chop striking Ata in the chest, who caught his wrist in his right hand, stepping to the left and turning to the right as he pulled the man back, striking him in the face with a left palm, releasing his wrist as he struck him in the stomach with his right palm, broadening his stance as he pulled back and slammed both of his palms into his opponent's chest, watching his foe stumble back.

Ata knew that the small combination wouldn't take out his opponent, something that made Ata happy, as not many people could honestly keep pace with him besides a small cluster of people he'd encountered. "You're rather strong. What's your name?" he asked, the man rubbing his jaw as he took his fighting stance again. "Kentaro, what about you?" he asked, and Ata smiled, rolling his neck. "My name is Ata. I appreciate your skill and endurance. It's rather nice to see that not all Japanese fighters are pushovers." he said, and the man laughed. "And it's nice to see someone with some guts and some skill that can keep up with me." he said, and Ata chuckled, his leg's odd twitch settling down, his mind free of all of his worries, the fact that he was lost completely forgotten.

Ata closed his fists, extending his arms outward more than before, his left leg lifting up off the ground slightly, his fighting style and attitude changed as he opened his left hand, gesturing for Kentaro to attack him, the other fighter more than happy to oblige. Ata watched him throw a single straight right punch, his body reacting on instinct, his chest twisting to the right slightly before curving back as he came down with a right elbow, striking Kentaro's forearm and causing him to stumble forward, a quick left elbow, right jab combination striking him in the face and causing him to stumble back. Ata followed up with a left high step kick, Kentaro blocking with his right forearm, his left hand jabbing forward. Ata leaned into the kick, avoiding the hard jab as he bent his body, leaning forward and catching Kentaro in a half clinch with his left hand, the muscles of his right arm tensing.

He threw one elbow, staggering the Yakuza, allowing him to place his leg back on the ground, a second elbow causing him to notice that his bandages were pink, the blood bleeding through the bandages. A third elbow knocked him back further, the length of the battle beginning to get to the injured foreigner, a quick combination being loosed from Ata, consisting of a left jab, right jab, left elbow and right elbow. Kentaro nearly fell over, Ata catching him by the left wrist, tugging him forward and catching him in a standing arm triangle. He leaned forward, shouting as he swung back and fell, dropping Kentaro face first on the ground, his heart throbbing as he rolled back to his feet and retook his fighting stance. Kentaro rolled over, panting as he shook his head, conceding to the bronze skinned male.

Ata exhaled, relaxing his posture as he glanced about, the thought that he was lost returning to his mind. "Damn it. I got distracted again." he said to himself, hearing a chuckle, turning to see some form of demonic creature behind him, this one donning a white fox mask. "That was rather impressive, Foreigner." it said, in a voice that was androgynous to his ears. He exhaled again, not bothering to pay attention to the demonic fox, instead choosing to walk over to Kentaro and hold his hand out. The man seemed confused, but took the help, Ata pulling him to his feet. The foreigner pulled the blood coated shirt from his chest, handing it to the Yakuza. "Clean the blood out of your eyes, Haumi." he said, the man using the cloth to clean the metallic liquid from his beaten and battered features. "Haumi?" he asked, and Ata hummed in acknowledgment.

"It means 'ally' in my native language. Plus it sounds similar to the English 'homie', a slang term for a friend." he said, and the man laughed. "You really are big on fighting, calling me a friend when I tried to beat you up and steal your money." he said, and Ata shrugged, waving him off. "I learned from the fight that the Fox over there put you up to it. Probably used some kind of ninja magick to redirect me here too. The question is, why?" he asked, turning back to the fox, Ata's mind immediately gauging how much of a fight he could put up with his multiple fights against groups of increasing power and numbers. The fox laughed, Ata able to tell that he could draw his clubs and defend himself before the fox could reach him with any form of physical attack. "Gabi Raizou asked me to test you for some reason. I would say that you passed with flying colors." he said, and Ata rose a brow.

"The swordsman that defeated the Igasaki? What reason would he have to test me?" he asked, and the fox shrugged. "The brute didn't explain it to me, but if he tries to contact you directly, don't be surprised." Ata flexed his right arm, the limb still in decent condition despite the amount of blood he'd lost. He turned to Kentaro, rubbing his neck as he sighed. "Do you know how to get back to my place? I can tell from fighting you that you aren't a bad dude, so I figured that you'd be the one who could help me." he said, making the man raise a brow. "You learned all of this from fighting?" he asked, and Ata nodded, glancing to the fox. "Kyuuemon, right? The Igasaki mentioned that you were a huge pain in their ass, and I understand why. You told me what you needed to tell me, so begone." he said, the fox snickering before vanishing in a puff of smoke.

"I've fought my entire life, and Japan is the third country I've traveled learning about fighting. Seems that if I get involved with the fox and the Igasaki idiots I'll need to practice using mid range and long range weapons more." he grumbled to himself. The Yakuza walked over to each of his friends, checking on them. "You want me to help you move them into the building? They'll all be fine. I beat each of them in a fashion that would inflict the least damage." he said, and the man chuckled as he threw two of his friends over his shoulders, nodding in appreciation as Ata grabbed another pair of the unconscious men. "You know that fox thing?" Kentaro asked, Ata shaking his head and exhaling. "Nope. You see, I was supposed to be trained by a group of ninjas, and the fox just so happens to be an enemy of theirs. What about you?" he asked, and the man grunted.

"Fucker showed up with a horde of these blue guys and told us to beat down a big foreigner. When we asked why it was us, the bastard said 'You are the most capable fighters in the area' like he was settling on us." he said, and Ata could hear the insulted irritation in his voice. "Do all of you know some form of Juuken, or just you?" he asked, and Kentaro chuckled as they entered the abandoned hotel, dropping the four men on the ground. "These guys were all former students of that famous company, SCRTC, so I assume they know some form of Juuken. Based off the few times I've seen them train, likely Jaguar Fist. What about you? Those two styles you use are rather interesting." he asked as they left the hotel, walking over to the three men remaining scattered across the ground.

"My preferred fighting style is called 'Pea Kapunga', which means 'Bear Palm' in my native language. It's a slightly more defensive version of Bear Fist." he said, throwing the final man over his shoulder, Kentaro rather surprised. "Bear Fist? Last I heard, the only Bear Fist master was Jan Kando." he said, and Ata nodded. "Jan-sensei was a rather interesting individual. Much friendlier than Gou." he said, and Kentaro grunted as he dropped the men in the hotel, rolling his shoulders. "Gou? You mean Gou Fukami, the master of Wolf Fist, right?" he asked, and Ata nodded. "Yup. If you noticed my leg twitching, it's because I want to switch to 'Wuhuri Kapunga', a form of Wolf Fist that I optimized for usage with the weapons from my homeland." he explained.

"If you've mastered two forms of Juuken, there's not really anything left in Japan to be honest. Learning from ninja is a bitch, especially if that 'Council to Protect the Honor of Ninja' or whatever gets involved and deems you unworthy." he said, pulling his phone from his pocket. Ata rose a brow. "An entire Council? Are there truly that many ninja in Japan?" he asked, and Kentaro nodded. "Of course. They're still in infancy, trying to find a President, but once fully established and acknowledged, they'll be the end all, be all for the thousands of ninja across the country and possibly worldwide." he explained, handing the phone to the foreigner. "Here's how to get back to your place from here. Hope you get home safe. I didn't really want to have to fight you." he said, and Ata glanced to the screen, memorizing the directions before handing the phone back.

"I appreciate it, Haumi. Feel free to stop by, I wouldn't mind guests, even if you're asking for help." he said, waving to the other martial artist before walking from the hotel, turning to the right and setting off.

Ata glanced up when he reached the large building complex he was staying in, sighing as he noticed that the sun had begin to set, the temperature having already dropped to a brisk chill, Ata's thoughts traveling to how pleasant his heated room would be as he entered the building. He nodded to the elderly man behind the counter, who was watching over the entrance while his wife cooked, the two sharing a happy, healthy relationship that Ata enjoyed seeing. "Goodness Ata-Chan, are you alright?" the man asked, the usage of the 'chan' suffix something he had yet to get used to. "Of course Mr. Fumi, just a little fight is all." he said, the old man shaking his head as Ata headed up to his room. On the way, he actually decided to look at his wounds, noticing that various bruises coated his chest and arms besides the large cut. His shoulders were also sore, and his clubs needed to be cleaned. Reaching his door, he inhaled as he twisted the nob.

Entering the room, he smiled at how plain everything was. The living room was a small room with light brown walls that matched the wooden floor, the only things adorning the room being a small group of cushions surrounding a small table, a small television set hanging on the right wall, a large shelf beneath it holding all of Ata's weapons and photos of his family. He kicked his shoes off, leaving them by the door like usual as he reached into his belt, pulling the two jade clubs from his waist and holding them as he glanced to his small sitting area, freezing as he noticed something rather off about the table. Ata rubbed his eyes, wondering if he had blood clouding his vision, checking his own pulse to make sure it wasn't an exhaustion or near death induced illusion. Confirming that he was in decent health, he inhaled.

"How did you get in here?" he asked, the figure sitting at the table turning to him before laughing. "There you are Boy! I've been waiting for you." Ata exhaled, walking over to the shelf and picking up a small red feather as he dropped the clubs on the shelf next to a jade bladed axe known as a ' _Toki'_. Reaching to the top shelf, he grabbed the jade tipped spear and gripped it tightly, walking over to the table and placing the feather on it. He jumped back, gripping the spear in both hands and pointing the tip at his uninvited guest. "This is a form of greeting where I'm from, called a _Powhiri._ Pick up the feather and hand it to me. If you don't, I will exorcize you from my dwelling." he explained, a loud laugh ringing out through the house as his guest slapped the table, picking up the feather and walking over to him. Ata watched him hold out the feather, his posture relaxing as he took the object back.

Walking over to the shelf, he put the feather and the spear back, shaking his head. "Welcome to my humble abode. What can I do for you, Gabi Raizou?" he asked, turning to the demon swordsman as he took a seat at the small table across from him. The swordsman grunted, his blue clawed hand pointing in Ata's direction. "I like you, Boy. You've got the kind of fighting spirit that only comes once a century." he said, and Ata folded his arms. "And this interests you?" he asked, the man nodding. "Of course. When the Fox told me that you beat the guys I picked out, I had to see you personally." he said, and Ata tilted his head slightly, glancing behind Gabi. "Poe, take a seat. There's no reason to be stingy." he said, the Oni turning to the other inhuman creature in the room, shaking his head at the black suited creature.

"Tell me, how did you come by a Kurous?" he asked, referring to the dapper creature that sat with them, closer to Ata. "I stopped back at my village before heading to Australia and we came under attack from a rogue 'Shadow' as it called itself, talking about bringing back the 'Shadow Line' or what have you. Me and the men of my village defeated the thing and it's forces, but Poe here surrender peacefully after watching me take out 5 more of his brothers with my Toki and Taiaha, the pickaxe and spear behind me." he said, and Gabi Raizou laughed. "See? That's the kind of fighting spirit that gets me excited!" he said, the fedora wearing creature next to Ata leaning over and whispering in his ear. Ata hummed, watching the Oni carefully.

"That kind of fighting spirit is also familiar to me too. I once fought a man who almost lived to fight. However, his will wasn't as strong as yours, and his power took him over. Probably because he fought for his God. Religious fighters always turn out weaker than fighters like us." he said, in a very matter of fact tone that almost suggested a form of camaraderie between the two. "'Like us?'" Ata asked, Gabi Raizou nodding. "I can tell that you fight because you love it, much like me. I came here to make you an offer, since we seem to be kindred spirits." he said, Ata nodding in anticipation. "I want you to join me, and work for Kibaoni Gengetsu. There's an artifact amongst my personal belongings that I think you could make great use of. Of course, I will personally train you." he said, and Ata seemed rather taken aback.

 _Trained by a kindred spirit? Something's off._ "What's the catch?" he asked, and Gabi Raizou sighed. "Unfortunately, you have to make it look good. I can train you and help you gain power beyond anything some human in a colorful suit could hope to grasp, but in return, you'll need to bring one of the Igasaki brats to our castle to prove yourself." he said, and Ata shook his head. "No dice then, Tai. The Igasaki agreed to train me and I have observed them fighting, but there's no way I can defeat any of them in open combat. And, assuming you are a kindred spirit of mine, you would know that open combat is the only combat we find acceptable." he said, and the demon man nodded.

He remained silent for a moment, as if pondering something rather heavy. "Very well then. Three days. Come to the mountains to the… east of here, I believe. No later than sunset. I will take matters into my own hands. Unless of course, you wish to fight with the brats who couldn't hope to comprehend you." he said, almost taunting Ata, who smiled. "Fighting with them might be worth the chance to fight against you, Tai. Deciding which weapons to use against you will be quite the fun pass time." he said, the man chuckling as he watched Ata stand and walk over to the shelf that displayed the various weapons. "Should I use a combination of _Patu_? My Taiaha? My Toki? Or perhaps…. Perhaps I should fight you with my bare hands?" he asked, turning to the demon man with a smile, the man slapping the table and standing, his demonic features contorted in happiness.

"That's it! This is what I've been waiting for! A human that thinks he can defeat me unarmed! I hope that you'll give my blades the chance to taste your flesh! Prepare yourself, Boy! These next three days might just be your last!" he shouted, Ata's blood beginning to rush as the demon vanished into thin air, the adrenaline causing him to forget about how worn his body was. He grabbed his Taiaha and the jade clubs, known as _Patu Pounamu_ or simply _Mere_ , shoving the latter in his belt once more, he headed to the door, a shout from the dapper creature causing him to hesitate. "I understand Poe. I should change my bandages and get some rest, but you know that I can't right now. How long have we been friends, _Parata_? You should know that I never take care of myself." he said, the Kurou shaking his head before waving his friend off, Ata once more off to train.

That night, Tsumuji tended to the dojo, putting away scattered books and straighten shelves shaken by indoor training, something he swore he told the kids to cut down on. "Father, were we wrong to tell Ata we would train him?" he asked, glancing up to where he knew his father would be sitting, the elderly man opening his eyes and sighing. "I do not believe so. However, if they don't at least teach him a shred of the basics, I fear that he might turn to our enemies in spite." he said, and Tsumuji laughed. "That's nonsense. Ata isn't that kind of person." he said, and the elderly man rose a brow, looking down to his son. "Are you so sure? Do you even know of the traditions of Ata's homeland, any part of it?" he asked, and Tsumuji opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't. He shook his head. "I can't say I do."

The old man nodded. "That's the problem. No one knows him well personally. That's the most dangerous thing about Ata. He knows where the Dojo is, has reason to turn against us, and is not close enough to any of us to care about our wellbeing. You'd do well to remember that." he said, Tsumuji sighing as he began to shake his head, deep in thought.

Ata panted, not paying attention to how much time passed as he continued to train, his body beginning to ache from the non stop activity. The wound on his arm had assumably bled dry, the tight bandaging minimizing the damage his usage of the wounded limb might have caused. He spun the spear overhead, striking the ground with the blunt end as he exhaled. He looked to the sky, noticing that the stars were out, the foreigner having arrived at this empty field before the sun had finished setting, signaling that he'd been here for a couple hours at least. He thought to Gabi Raizou, surprised that the demon swordsman would pay him a visit personally, his offer still troubling him. _Could I beat them?_ He wondered, his immediate thought being that he couldn't, the smarter part of his brain questioning that.

 _It's not that I can't beat them. I can't beat the 'Ninningers'. I can beat the Igasaki Clan._ He thought, realizing that without their unusual super suits, the only one who posed a problem was Yakumo, who had access to magick, something that made Ata sneer to himself. _I'd like to see him try and cast a spell when I'm at close range._ He thought, blinking as he realized how antagonistic his thoughts were. _I can't be thinking like that. They are still my teachers for now._ He reminded himself, rolling his neck. Although, at the moment, Ata had a more interesting concern. He turned his head to the right, glancing behind him. "How long are you going to watch me?" he asked, turning to face a rather oddly dressed fellow.

"What's with the Wild West outfit? You just get out of an American costume party?" he asked, the young man chuckling. "This is how I look everyday, Partner." he said, his Japanese having an odd drawl to it, Ata exhaling. "Sorry about that." he said, the cowboy blinking in confusion before the insult registered. He opened his mouth to respond, but Ata spun the spear in his grip, pointing it at his witness. "I asked you why you were watching me. Now tell me or get lost, _partner_." he said, speaking the last word in English. He sighed, stepping on something laying in the grass, catching what looked like a guitar in his hand before pointing it in his direction. "I saw you talking to Kyuuemon, and I've seen you at the Igasaki household. I just want to warn you to not try any funny business, cuz I reckon that _I'm_ the only one that's gonna defeat them." he said, and Ata rose a brow.

"So you think I'm trying to take them out from the inside? That's rather funny. It's quite the opposite really. I merely want to learn how ninja fight and live. The Fox was telling me that I did a good job taking out the guys he sent after me. And, _partner,_ I reckon that that Fox would be impressed if I added you to the list of people I've defeated." he said, spinning the staff in his left hand to catch it in both hands. He watched the cowboy grip the guitar by a black handle, holding it in both hands before disappearing in a puff of smoke, Ata spinning his body to the right while shifting the spear in his hands, both hands near the tip as he blocked the guitar with the broad, flat end, which could double as a club. "So your guitar is also a sword, huh? And based on this opening at the tip, I assume it also serves as a firearm. Rather impressive, especially if you've mastered it's usage." he said, shoving the cowboy back.

Ata held the staff in both hands near the tip, jabbing forward as he let the staff slide down through his palms, the cowboy blocking with his blade, Ata stepping back from an upward diagonal slash, twirling the spear in his hands and coming down with the tip from right to left, leaving a slight wound on the cowboy's left shoulder. Ata took a step back, exhaling as he watched the man's face, which was a combination of worry and determination, a mixture Ata found unpleasant. "You're a ninja, that much I can tell. There is no reason for you to worry. Fight me with a light, unbothered heart or begone from my sight." he said, the 'ninja cowboy', something Ata found as ridiculous as his weapon, furrowing his brow and tightening his grip on his blade, jabbing forward.

Ata stepped to his left, jabbing forward and piercing his foe's right shoulder, pulling back and spinning the spear in his hand and swinging in a high broad arc, smacking the cowboy in the left side of the face and knocking him to the ground, his hat flying off of his head, an odd clattering coming from the hat. Ata glanced to it, noticing an odd, gold shuriken inside of it, the hiding place for such an object coming off as odd to him. However, the shuriken was very similar to the one he witnessed Nagi use to don the bright 'super suit', as he referred to it. "So you're also one of those 'Ningers', huh?" he asked, turning away and exhaling as the cowboy rose to his feet. Ata looked back to him and sighed. "I'm going home. This fight bores me. If you follow I reckon that we'll have to throw down, partner." he said, using the terminology he could tell the cowboy used every day.

The cowboy panted as he picked up his hat, looking to Ata. "So you're going to run away?" he asked, and Ata laughed. "Of course not. Your heart is far too clouded to interest me. Preaching that you will defeat the Igasaki while fighting to seemingly protect them? My Gods wouldn't look kindly upon me defeating someone with such conflicting interests." he said, spinning the staff in his grip before sliding it through the belt loops on the back of his pants and folding his arms. "I hope that if you plan on fighting me again, that your heart and mind are unclouded. Because a warrior in turmoil isn't worth fighting, and your flesh wouldn't be worthy to be sacrificed to my Gods." he said, leaving the cowboy ninja alone in the small field.

"Don't give me that shit Poe, you know I like fighting." he said, the Kurou tending to his bandages shaking his head. "Turns out there's a sixth Ninger, and this one is a cowboy of all things." he said, the Kurou tilting his head before sighing. "Oh yeah, you never told me how you got us all the money we have. Do you have some kind of connections?" he asked, and the always open mouth of the creature spread in a broader smile, causing Ata to blink. "I'm gonna act like I never asked since you're giving me that look." he said, the Kurou chuckling as he tightened the bandage over the wound. "How's it look by the way? Will I be able to get tattooed there in the future?" he asked, the Kurou hesitating before shaking his head. Ata sighed, looking to the ceiling. "So my lack of training cost me _moko_ on my right arm. That blows." he said, the Kurou chuckling as he stood, taking the first aid materials from the living room.

 _They don't train me, I get used as a housekeeper, and now I have a permanent injury that could have been prevented either with training or at least telling me about those blue fuckers._ He thought to himself, trying to remain positive as Poe came over, placing a plate of food in front of him as he sat down with his own. "So how was your day Poe?" he asked, the creature shrugging. "My day was fine. Having the house to myself most of the time is great since I can keep the place organized." the Kurou said, Ata smiling at the sound of his native language, something that Poe could somehow learn. "That's great. Just try not to throw any insane parties. I don't want any of my belongings stolen or damaged." he said, and Poe looked to him, shaking his head. "Sure thing, as long as you keep demon swordsmen from showing up unexpectedly." he said, and Ata laughed, shaking hands with his friend.

"It's a deal. I probably would've tore the place up if he didn't vanish." he said, and the Kurou sent him a slightly cross look. "Exactly, and then you would've went off to do something stupid and I would've had to clean up after you." he said, making Ata laugh. "I'll pay you back one day mate. Just give me a little time to figure out how." he said, and the Kurou sighed. "I look forward to it." he said, the duo enjoying their dinner, Ata looking out the far window to the starlit sky, inhaling.

 _Power beyond anything a human in a colorful suit could hope for, huh? Sounds interesting._ He thought, shaking his head. _Three days is actually all I need to make this decision._ He thought, noticing that Poe was staring at him. "You aren't thinking about what that brute said seriously, are you?" he asked, and Ata shrugged. "I might be. It's certainly an alternative to being a glorified housekeeper. Especially to people who have a super suit that lets them beat me with ease." he said, the Kurou putting his head in his hands. "At least take all three days. A lot can happen in that span of time. They could train you, give you one of their super suit shuriken and so on. That or you can get to know them better and actually make some friends besides me and those things behind me." he said, referring to the shelf of weapons.

Ata shook his head. "I know them quite well. None of them are worth my time. And besides, every one of my weapons has a spirit inside of it, so it's like having friends." he said, a look of confusion coming over Poe's face. "You can't be serious about that." he said, and Ata nodded. "I am. Besides, as sure as my name is Te-Ata-O-Tu-Ka-Nguha Nga Rauru Kitahi, the only friend I really need is Atua Whiowhio Kenga Teone Nga Rauru Kitahi." he said, referring to both himself and the Kurou by their full names. The train robber shook his head. "You're lucky we're best friends or I'd never believe you." he said, both of them engaging in a hearty round of laughter.

 _Finished! I do hope you enjoyed it, as it was rather fun to write. If any New Zealanders or those that are more familiar with Maori Culture than me find any discrepancies, from improper usage of the language to improper terminology, I would appreciate it if you let me know, because a couple weeks of research isn't going to make me some kind of expert on everything haha. I thank you for reading, and appreciate your support, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF Inc._

 _Pronunciation: Tai – Tie-E_

 _Haumi – Hah-oo-me_

 _Whiowhio -fee-yo-fee-yo_

 _Iwi -E-wee_

 _Ariki -ah-ree-key_

 _the rest should be fairly simple to pronounce, since it's pronounced as it looks iirc. Thanks, J 'TGS' U_


	2. Haka 2: Whakaahua

_What's poppin y'all? Jiro again. If you enjoyed the last chapter, I do hope you enjoy this one as well. I'm going to try and craft this fic to be as good as the Tokusatsu Television thou hath seent. I hope I met both my own expectations and your. I thank you for the support, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF Inc._

The next morning, Ata noticed that the Igasaki made no effort to contact him, be it to watch over the dojo, run errands or, of course, to ask when he wanted to start training. Instead, he relaxed, allowing his worn body to recuperate, the only physical activity he partook in being sanding notches along the blunt edge of his Taiaha, the sound of smooth jazz playing throughout the small apartment, the Maori putting his friend in charge of the music today. "It's nice to see that you aren't going insane over your 'teachers' not teaching you." Poe said, and Ata blinked, staring ahead blankly before shrugging. "I honestly have better things to do. Worst case scenario is I leave Japan without learning anything about ninja. I can move onto Mongolia and China and learn about them, seeing as how I'll be spending a large portion of my travels in China." he said, and Poe smiled.

"That's good. I figured that you'd go insane and pray for divine retribution to strike down all Ninja worldwide." he said, and Ata furrowed his brow, his jaw going slightly slack in feigned hurt. "I would never do such a thing." he said, and Poe hummed. "Tell that to the wheelchair bound Australian who's spine you damaged." he said, and Ata hesitated, shaking his head as he flipped the Taiaha over in his grip, sanding the other side. "No idea what you're talking about." he said, and Poe shook his head. "You know for a fact that if you stepped foot in Australia that you'd be sleeping with one eye open." he said, and Ata grunted. "I did what was right. He tried to slander my entire homeland and everyone in it. Surely removing the usage of his legs was a small price to pay to keep the balance of Mana." he said.

Poe shook his head, dusting the shelf that held all of Ata's weapons. "An attempted murder charge on your record is _not_ worth balancing some invisible force that only the Maori acknowledge." he said with a sigh, and Ata rose a brow as he stood, walking over to the shelf and placing the Taiaha back on top before grabbing his Mere. "What attempted murder charge? Last I checked, I did sixty days of community service for Assault." he noted, and Poe grunted. "You're the eldest son of a High Chief, Ata. Having a criminal record isn't even good for the balance of our Tribe's mana." he said, and Ata shrugged. "It's a small price to pay to make sure that slander of Aotearoa and it's people doesn't go unpunished." Poe looked to his friend with a blank look, shaking his head and sighing as he headed back towards the kitchen.

Ata glanced out the window, noticing that the sun was beginning to set, the first of three days nearly over, a sigh escaping his lips. "Disappointed?" Poe asked, placing a plate of food in front of Ata, consisting of a wide array of sushi, the fighter rather surprised that his friend had such culinary skills. "Where'd you learn to make sushi?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "Picked it up in Japan before me and the boss headed to New Zealand. Had to do something when we weren't fighting the Rainbow Line." he said, and Ata rose a brow. "Rainbow Line?" Poe nodded. "Bunch of goody two shoes ass folks. Their elite fighting unit is the ToQgers, also known as the 'Ressha Sentai' or 'Train Squadron'. That's the thing about Japan. Fucking place always has some team of freaks in colored suits." he said, and Ata hummed.

"You seem to know quite a bit about this." he said, and Poe grunted. "Part of the Shadow Line's policy is to know thy enemy. Not only did we have to watch out for the freaks in colored suits, we had to watch out for another group of freaks in super suits called 'Kamen Riders' or 'Masked Riders'. I've read up on them as much as I can since I have a lot of free time, and I've actually encountered a couple of them before." he said, and Ata folded his arms, his eyes glancing to the setting sun. "Really? How strong are they?" he asked, and Poe chuckled. "Insanely. I wouldn't say it's too farfetched of a statement to say that one Kamen Rider can take out an entire Sentai group." he said, and Ata blinked.

"Exactly what kind of powers are we talking?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "Depends on the Kamen Rider. I've read up on everything from fruit themed suits of armor and weapons to the souls of historical figures sealed inside small eyeball shaped gadgets." he said, and Ata sighed. "Lovely. Another group of freaks I can't compete with." he said, and then he blinked, the look on his face familiar to his friend. "If you think that Gabi Raizou can give you power equal to a Kamen Rider or stronger, you might wanna think again, since he has yet to defeat all six Ninningers at the same time. There'd be no way he could possess an artifact that was stronger than he himself." he said, and Ata smiled. "We'll see about that." he said, and Poe grunted. Ata threw another piece of Sushi into his mouth, wagging a finger when he remembered something Poe said.

"Pokere, you said that you've encountered these 'Kamen Riders' before. What do you mean by that?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "Just as it sounds. I've witnessed them at work before. One by the name of Drive was able to easily dispose of Shadows with a single technique. And Shadows are roughly the equivalent of Yokai, which it takes the entire group of Ninningers to dispose of." He explained, and Ata blinked. "If Japan has such godsforsakenly powerful freaks, why does the rest of the world not know about this or have some form of equivalent?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "If they have equivalents, I have no knowledge of it. As for why they don't know, would you believe it if you turned on the TV at home and the news said 'Japanese super suit wearer defeats monster slash super villain and saves the entire country, world, solar system, galaxy blah blah blah." he explained, and Ata hummed. "Good point." he said, scratching the back of his head.

"Can any of them really achieve these stellar and interstellar feats?" he asked, and Poe shook his head. "Strongest one I know of is at most able to destroy an entire planet, and only a smaller planet like Earth or Mars." he said, and Ata hummed. "The ability to destroy an entire planet, huh?" he asked, more a rhetorical statement than a question. "I'm surprised any physical body can handle that kind of transformation." he said, and Poe shrugged. "Yours could most likely. You already have nigh on herculean strength and speed. Far more physically capable than any Kamen Rider I know of." he said, and Ata smiled glancing to the night sky as he thanked his friend for the compliment.

The second morning arrived, and Ata sighed as he once more began to weigh his options. Poe changed his bandages, glancing at the wound carefully. "Wound is a bit deeper than I thought. It should heal fine. Perhaps if I do a little thinking, I can come up with some form of Moko that can be chiseled around the scar." he thought, rubbing his smooth chin. Ata glanced to his friend, shaking his head. "And take the risk of cutting any scar tissue open? No thanks." he said, Poe humming in agreement, wrapping the arm in a smaller group of bandages, the wound nearly healed. "Well, since it looks like you won't be heading out to take care of some asinine task, would you mind running some errands for me?" he asked, and Ata rose a brow. "What kind?"

Poe shrugged. "Simple tasks. I try to leave the house once in a while but if word of a stray Kurou walking the streets of Japan reached the Rainbow Line, chances are I'd be hunted down by a bored ToQger. So, for today, I'd like you to go out and procure some supplies." he said, handing Ata a list. He looked it over, seeing the usual fanfare. "Poe, what's this?" he asked, his ability to read Japanese characters not fluent yet, the item sticking out for it's price, which seemed to be in the tens of thousands of yen. The Kurou glanced over to it as he packed up the small first aid kit and stood. "Game system. I get bored a lot, and if I were to ever have guests over, I would be at a loss to entertain them with conversation _and_ cook for them, since we both know you aren't exactly a Five Star Chef." he said, and Ata rolled his eyes as he stood.

Ata grumbled to himself as he entered the next store, his arms already full with bags, containing everything from food to first aid supplies, the only thing on the list being the game system. To make matters worse, in his absentminded frustrations, he had forgotten his Mere, meaning that regardless of the situation, he would have to face any foes with his bare hands, something he wouldn't be a fan of doing with eggs in a bag he carried with his left hand. He glanced to the list, trying to identify which game system's Japanese name matched the characters written on this piece of paper. _Why couldn't he write it in plain English? It's not like that would've been difficult._ He complained to himself, feeling someone touch his bandaged arm, gritting his teeth as he turned to his right.

"Is there something I can help you look for?" the sales associate asked, a younger person who's features were obscured by the hat they wore, which seemed to be too big for their head. Ata gestured to the list, pointing to the only item not crossed out. "My ability to read Japanese isn't the best since I just moved here, but my friend wanted me to get one of these. I was wondering if you could help me find one." he said, the hat wearing employee nodding and gesturing for him to follow. Ata smiled, glad that at least _someone_ was willing to help, reminding himself to chastise his friend for not writing in a more familiar form of writing. They reached a section that Ata identified with 'Sony', the company whose games and systems were the most popular with his childhood friends and his family. However, before the employee could speak, a scream rang out in the store.

Ata frowned, carefully placing his bags down and gesturing for the employee to wait for him. He watched a shopping cart go flying across the store and crash into a rather large television, Ata's first thought being ' _Why didn't I get a cart? My arms are sore.'_ Glancing over the shelves in the aisles, something he could do being over six feet tall, he noticed another one of those agitating blue solider creatures, this one seemingly by itself. He whistled loudly, catching the attention of the creature. "Hey fuckface! Over here!" he shouted, rolling his shoulders. He walked past the next three aisles, coming face to face with the inhuman being, grunting at his bad luck. _Of course the bastard would be carrying that big ass sword._ He thought to himself, inhaling as he balled his fists, placing them in front of his face as his left leg lifted off the ground slightly, deciding he didn't have time to play around.

The blue creature made the first move, swinging it's massive blade above it's head, tearing into fluorescent lightbulbs on the ceiling, it's body jerking as if it was being electrocuted. Ata ran forward, ducking down and inhaling deeply as he slammed his shoulder into the midsection of the creature, grunting as he lifted it into the air, breaking it's grip on the blade, which simply crashed to the ground in the aisle, Ata running for the entrance with the creature in his grip. _This fucker is HEAVY._ He thought, guessing that the creature he ran through the entrance with weighed at least three hundred pounds, Ata spinning before slamming the creature to the ground hard, people walking the streets shouting in surprise before fleeing.

Ata exhaled, his many years of training allowing him to instinctively move, sitting atop the creature before raining down punches, easily weaving away from any of the creature's attempts to retaliate. "I just-" he began, each syllable equaling a pair of fists in it's face. "-Wanted-" left, right, left, right. "-To go-" left, right, left, right. "- _Motherfucking_ _Shopping!_ " he shouted, another dozen blows silencing the creatures movement as Ata stood, panting and grumbling as he cracked his rather sore knuckles. _If one of these bastards showed up, that means the Igasaki are nearby._ He said, wondering if he could at the least get the ninja to warn him when these creatures showed up. He turned back to the store, rolling his right arm as he entered, looking to the manager and catching his attention.

"I'm not paying for anything that thing damaged. Just wanted to let you know." he said, nodding before heading back over to where his bags were, grumbling as he picked them up. He glanced to the employee, who had surprisingly listened to him. "Give me the most expensive bundle you got that's under 50,000 after tax." he said, a bob of a hat his only response as he grit his teeth and headed towards the nearest register. _Poe better not THINK he's gonna get me to run all of his errands, especially if these blue fucks keep showing up._ He thought, nodding to himself as he glanced to the damage that was done. He tilted his head, placing his bags down as he walked over to the aisle with the shattered lighting, picking up the large, heavy blade the creatures always seemed to swing around with little to no skill. _Well… I didn't take any trophies from my last fight with them, so this will suffice._ He thought to himself, pulling a spare roll of bandages from his pocket.

When he entered his apartment, he was rather amused by the fact that Poe's first words to him were infact 'What the fuck is that hunk of metal strapped to your back!?' to which he responded 'No problem Poe, I'll help you with errands whenever I can.'. Poe sighed as Ata walked over to the small table and placed the bags down before walking over to his weapon shelf. He tore the makeshift strap he held the large, blue blade on his back with, removing it before simply setting it against the corner nearby, smiling at the addition to his collection. "Hey Ata, I need a place to set this thing up." he said, tapping the box that the game system was in. Ata nodded. "Put it wherever you want or can as long as you don't touch my shelf." he said, and the Kurou groaned. "Come on, it's the most convenient place." he said, and Ata grunted.

"I just got done fighting another one of those blue fuckers that was tearing up the store. I'm not in the mood to reorganize my weapons." he said, and Poe sighed, grumbling as he took the rest of the bags and headed towards the kitchen. "Are the employees of the store alright?" he asked, and Ata nodded. "All fine. Bastard threw a shopping cart across the store though, surprised no one was hurt." Poe exhaled, making Ata raise a brow. "Do you know the people in there?" he asked, and Poe hummed. "That's the place I got the TV." he said, unpacking the food and organizing the refrigerator. Ata hummed. "Than maybe you can tell me about that weird employee with the big hat. Little bugger actually listened when I said to not move." he said, and Ata tilted his head.

"Must be a new guy, since the dress code says that only male employees can wear hats without permission from managers." he said, and Ata glanced out the window, noticing that the sun was once more beginning it's descent in the sky. "Weird policy. Then again, it can be a bit of a pain to tell males and females apart in this country." he noted, Poe chuckling in agreement. "Is your arm alright? The bandages seem a bit disheveled." he noted, and Ata smiled, rolling his shoulders before he noticed that he didn't take his shoes off, walking over to the door before kicking them off. "I'll be fine for today. Although, I'd like you to dress the wound a bit more than usual tomorrow, since it _is_ the third day." he said, and Poe rolled his eyes. "You're still going on about that? I told you not to trust that Oni bastard." he said, and Ata inhaled.

"I'm going to have a talk with the Igasaki tomorrow. I'll make my decision then." he said, and Poe shook his head. "Don't do anything stupid." he said, and Ata laughed. "When have you known me to do anything stupid?" he asked heartily, causing Poe to blink and exhale. "Almost every fight you get involved in is stupid, Te-Ata-O-Tu." he said, using a longer version of his first name. Ata shrugged. "Rangi and Papa didn't bless me with a well structured body for me to spend my days knitting and cooking like _some_ people." he said, Poe hesitating at what he could have sworn was an insult from his friend. "I'm going to pretend you didn't just make some kind of medieval 'hahaha you do housewife stuff' joke, because without me you probably wouldn't survive." he retorted, and Ata shrugged.

"I only wouldn't survive because I don't magickally come into large amounts of cash like you. Speaking of which, you still gotta tell me how you get so much money one day. Imagine how well off we'd be if I did the same thing you did." he said while wagging a finger, Poe chuckling. " _What I do_ is for people who's IQ is a higher number than the amount of fights they've been in." he said, and Ata blinked, realizing that, regardless of exactly how smart he was, there was no way his IQ was higher than the number of fights he'd been in. He tilted his head slightly. _Then again, I'm pretty sure that no one's IQ is that high._ He said, chuckling to himself. He turned back to Poe, something more casual and lighthearted on his mind. "Oh yeah, I noticed that you left sweet potatoes off the grocery list. Any particular reason why?" he asked, and the Kurou grabbed the brim of his hat in his fingertips, pulling down and chuckling in true Kurou fashion.

Ata sighed. "I know you aren't fond of sweet potatoes, but I am, so try and remember that next time you make a grocery list." he said, and Poe grumbled. "And you aren't fond of celery like I am, but you didn't see me putting..." he said, trailing off as he pulled a plastic bag from the mass of groceries, seeing stalks of celery neatly organized. Ata stuck his hand up, twisting his hand and pointing at his friend. "You might not have put celery on the list, but as a _friend_ , I remembered it." he said, and Poe grumbled. "I'll go get you some damn sweet potatoes tomorrow as long as you promise not to go off doing stupid shit at the Igasaki residence." he offered, and Ata clapped as he stood. "It's a deal! Besides, our definitions of 'stupid shit' are worlds apart." he said, the Kurou blinking as he realized that he agreed to do something for nothing.

The next morning came, and Ata was up by sunrise, shuffling through his wardrobe for something that would be proper for the scenario. He noticed a couple of cloaks used in tribal ceremonies, and the skirt like loincloths that accompanied them, but he shook his head. _Doubt they'd understand the importance of my tribal garb._ He thought to himself, noticing that none of the other clothes he brought along or purchased were formal in the slightest, Ata always choosing comfort and flexibility over the usual stiffness worldwide formal garb gave him. He heard shuffling elsewhere in the house, grumbling to himself as he exited his room, seeing the Kurou humming to himself in the kitchen.

"Hey Poe, do I have anything besides plain shirts and tribal wear?" he asked, the drowsy train robber sighing. "Good Morning to you too, Parata." he said, and Ata blinked, shaking his head and apologizing. The Kurou soon grumbled. "I bought a couple of shirts that might help you blend in as much as a bronze skinned six footer can. Should be in a bag at the bottom of your closet. Look next to those combat boots you bought in Sydney." he suggested, and Ata blinked, smiling and clapping. "You're the best Parata." he said, turning and jogging back to his room, walking over to his still open closet, grabbing said boots, smiling at the black shoes, their green laces a rather nice contrast in his eyes. He grabbed the bag Poe spoke of, tossing it on his bed.

Selecting a pair of loose fitting green cargo pants, he opened the bag, pulling out a white shirt with Japanese writing on it, dropping it as he preferred to not have to read his clothing, the next shirt a vibrant red with a grey circle over the chest to the left, a white '1' inside the circle. He dropped the shirt on his bed atop the white one, making a mental note to ask Poe what the shirt symbolized, the third shirt a green mass of fabric with what appeared to be a belt near the waist, Ata grumbling and choosing to grab the white shirt and throw it on, making sure that it fit before he began his usual daily routine. "What's for breakfast Poe!?" Ata shouted from his room, hearing a muffled reply of 'Food' from his friend, a chuckle escaping his lips as he shook his head.

Poe placed a plate in front of Ata, the foreigner noticing that Poe had made the last of the sweet potatoes, looking to his friend as he pulled his hair tighter, the topknot still wet from his recent shower. "Say Poe, any idea why you picked the shirts you did?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "White one seemed like something you'd wear. Green one was on sale and the red one was an impulse buy since it was surprisingly Rainbow Line merchandise." he said, and Ata furrowed his brow in confusion. "So the good guy group that was wiping out your species and superiors en masse has merchandise that you bought on impulse?" he asked, and Poe nodded with a shrug. "Besides, it's ToQ Ichigou merchandise, and he wasn't a bad kid." he said, and Ata sighed. "You just don't like fighting, that's all." he said, Poe not objecting to the statement. "We can't all be the one with 'O-Tu-Ka-Nguha' in our name." he said, referring to the second part of his name.

He sighed, grumbling to himself. He placed his fork down, choosing not to use chopsticks in the comfort of his own home. "Your name is Atua Whiowhio Kenga Teone, don't pretend you don't like a good scuffle." he said, and Poe looked to him, pushing his hat up slightly, Ata able to see his blue eyes. "I do enjoy a good scuffle, but my name doesn't dictate who I am, Ata." he said, and the foreigner sighed as he grabbed his plate and stood, heading to the kitchen and dropping the dish in the sink. He turned, noticing a piece of paper on the counter, Ata reading off Poe's 'To Do List' to himself. _B_ _u_ _y the Bastard some sweet potatoes. Meet the new employee at the electronics store. Consider a guard dog because of obnoxious demon swordsmen._ _Keep banker on speed dial incase Ata does 'stupid shit', my definition._ He read off, laughing at the last part as he headed out to get ready.

Ata exhaled, rolling his shoulder as he walked towards the Igasaki Dojo, his arm bandaged up a bit tight for his liking, but as tight as he asked. He inhaled, wondering exactly what he should speak to them about. Should he do what Poe would do, and use casual conversation to extract the information he wanted? Or should he ease into it, like his mother taught him? As the Dojo came into view, his father's words were the first that came to mine. _You are a member of Nga Rauru Kitahi. If someone isn't keeping their word, do whatever is necessary to find out why._ he had said. _Our great ancestor always kept his word, and we strive to do the same. Liars are to be punished, unless the lies are for a cause the Gods deem worthy._ Ata nodded, remembering hearing those words one evening at the Marae, inhaling before exhaling, stepping onto the property with his shoulders squared and his Mere on his back.

The Igasaki were not expecting Ata to arrive, nor did they expect him to have such an air about him, his attitude much different from the calm, kind person they were used to. "Ata-San, this is a surprise. I wasn't expecting you to come by today." Tsumuji said, and Ata rose a brow. "You didn't expect a student to show up at his Dojo?" he asked, the tone he used surprising the older man. He turned back to the younger ninja, who all were watching him closely. "Since I already have your attention, I can make this as blatant as needed." he said, his right shoulder throbbing ever so slightly. "I will make myself clear so that you can respond clearly. Are you going to train me?" he asked, and they all remained silent. Tsumuji chuckled nervously, taking a step closer to Ata, a single side glance making him back up just as fast.

"What brought this on?" Kasumi asked, and Ata locked on to the pink ninja. "Not only does my particular tribe take someone giving their word _very_ seriously, I have been in multiple fights against these superhuman blue soldiers you fight, one of which attacked an electronics store I was shopping at. Surely you could have trained me to at least combat these grunt level creatures?" he asked, and Nagi rubbed the back of his neck, a nervous smile on his features. "We would if we could, but we barely have time for ourselves." he said, and Ata frowned. "Then why give your word that you'd train me?" he asked, and Fuuka also smiled nervously. "We thought that we'd have more time on our hands." she said, and Kasumi nodded. "But we've had to invest a lot of our time into Yokai and recovering from them." she said.

Ata noticed that Yakumo and Takaharu hadn't said anything, something that made Ata both curious and agitated. "And what of you two? Since you two are obviously the strongest, I figured that you'd have the most to say." he said, the two of them remaining silent. Ata's lips twitched upwards, his competitive spirit getting the better of him. "Then perhaps you aren't that strong after all. Maybe you realized that the cowboy is stronger than you, and then maybe he told you how I beat his ass three days ago." he said, and the two of them looked in his direction, goaded by the statement. "Nice try, but provoking me won't be that _easy_." Yakumo said, Ata's right eye twitching at his usage of 'Easy' in English. Ata shrugged. "It was worth a try. Getting you to attack me is also training. Although, he _did_ fight me to try and protect you guys. He mustn't have a high opinion of you if he's fighting little old me to protect you." he said, Takaharu's jaw visibly flexing in response to his attempts to provoke them.

"Well, since it seems that no matter what I do, you won't at least attempt to train me, that I'll have to seek tutelage elsewhere." he said, and Takaharu scoffed. "You can't name one ninja half as good as us." he said, and Ata tilted his head. "You might be right. But a second rate teacher is always going to be better than a first rate liar." he said, and the red ninja jabbed a finger in his direction. "I am _not_ a liar!" he shouted, and Ata rolled his eyes. "Lemme guess, 'I'm not a liar! I always keep my word! That's my Nindo, my Ninja Way!'" Ata mocked, his uncharacteristic smile and goofy attitude catching them off guard. However, this managed to provoke Yakumo, who pushed himself off of the door frame he leaned against, Ata's hands beginning to twitch and quiver in anticipation.

He looked down to the blue ninja, who he knew would be provoked by childish antics. "What's gotten into you? All of this because we aren't training you?" he asked, and Tsumuji looked a little more than a bit worried at how close the two were. "You gave me your word. All of you. And then for a month I was a glorified housekeeper. Not even my old teacher's teacher is that bad. Once or twice with the 'In Chores, There Is Training' shtick, but an entire month? Where you five, _five_ , barely communicate with me? I'm surprised that anyone can put up with you as people, much less trust you to save their lives." he said, and Yakumo laughed, Ata close enough to hear his teeth grit. "If it's so bad, why didn't you find someone else to train you?" he asked, and Ata hummed, acting nonchalant.

"I've been asking myself the same thing, but my friend has made sure that I remain patient. However, my patience has a limit. It feels like I've been your housekeeper longer than I did community service for an Assault charge." he said, and Yakumo's tongue pressed against his cheek, a signal that he was rather agitated. "Then why don't you go find a _second rate teacher_ , since you and your people have a knack for being _second rate._ " he said, Ata's composure rather incredible. He glanced to Takaharu. "Do you disagree with anything he's said?" he asked, and Takaharu shook his head, his shoulders squared and jaw steeled. Ata nodded in acknowledgment, looking to Yakumo. "If your next statement isn't an apology, there will be repercussions." he said, a venomous laugh escaping Yakumo's lips.

"So you come into my house, insult me and my family and expect me to apologize for defending them? I don't recall your land's native people apologizing for defending themselves from whatever European country obviously reduced them to obscurity." he said, Ata's head jabbing forward and slamming into Yakumo's face, the resounding shatter of bone ringing out through the dojo, Ata rolling and stepping back, shoving Kasumi and catching Fuuka, throwing her overhead before turning, striking Nagi in the jaw with a forearm, turning to face Takaharu as the Igasaki scrambled back into a singular group. Ata's hands quivered, his feet parting as he bent his knees and placed his hands on his hips, releasing a loud, bellowing shout.

He moved his hands, rhythmically slapping his thighs as he began to shout in a language they didn't understand, Ata slapping and clasping his left forearm in his right hand. This rhythmic shouting and slapping continued as he began to shout in that same primal language, the look in his eyes causing both Fuuka and Nagi to shrink back, even Takaharu's iron will beginning to waver. "In the name of Tumatauenga, I will end your bloodline! For disrespecting my noble blood, my homeland, and most importantly, my proud Maori people! For this slander, this imbalance of Mana, I will bring judgment upon ye! And on my Iwi, Nga Rauru Kitahi, I will bring forth a great retribution for thou not keeping thy word! I will feast upon your flesh, and suck your souls from your still warm hearts! This I swear!" he shouted, once more placing his hands on his hips and screaming loudly, a single syllable that actually made Takaharu back down.

He turned to leave, Tsumuji immediately stepping out of his way, his steps halted as their grandfather, the famed Last Ninja standing in his way, a stern frown on his face as he stared Ata down. "If you make a single move to take down anyone in my family, I will stop you, and I will show no mercy." he said, and Ata laughed. "I'd like to see you try old man. It might be fun if you don't throw out a hip in the process." he said, the elderly man deepening his frown, which was nowhere near as intense as the scowl on Ata's face. _**"Move."**_ He said, an odd feeling radiating off of Ata, one that actually made the elderly man step aside, the large foreigner waltzing from the Dojo unharmed, the children not having a chance to process what had just occurred, as the Toad Toad Guns began to go off, signaling the appearance of a Yokai.

Ata trudged up the mountain, his muscles aching for the chance to move, his palms spread wide. He tried to keep his breathing even, his mind traveling to his training with Jan, who always warned him about learning Bear Fist, as it was a style of Juuken created and mastered using rage, a flash of Yakumo's smug face appearing in his mind, causing him to shout and swing his hand, his right palm slamming into the trunk of a tree, the tree shaking and creaking as the force of the blow cracked the bark and shattered the wood, a large chunk of the tree missing. He continued to travel up the mountain, his rage induced state drastically increasing his power. He noticed a flat clearing up ahead, slapping a tree out of the way as he reached it, his boots trudging across sand as he hesitated, noticing that Gabi Raizou was locked in battle with Takaharu.

Ata watched with an odd fascination, the demon swordsmen and the red ninja actually rather even, Ata reaching behind his back and pulling his Mere, part of his mind calling for him to ambush Takaharu, and fight with Gabi Raizou. However, the warrior in him said not to, ambush and outnumbering not his style, watching the duo strike each other with intense attacks, a shockwave ringing out and blowing sand into his eyes. When his eyes were clear, Takaharu fell, collapsing defeated to the ground like a broken toy as Gabi Raizou kicked him off the mountain, likely to clatter to the ground like a broken puppet. He exhaled, turning to Ata and laughing. "Impressed?" he asked, and the rage began to slowly vanish. "This is what you wanted to show me?" he asked, and the Oni nodded. "Of course! I planned everything in our favor! Them not needing you, you coming here to see me defeat the Red Boy, all of it!"

Ata pointed the Mere at Gabi Raizou, taking a few steps forward. "Did you plan the slander thrown at my people?" he asked, and he laughed. "Of course not. A warrior never insults another warrior without testing him in battle first." he said, and Ata nodded, gripping the green clubs tighter. The horned swordsman brandished his blades, taking a step forward, the duo soon circling each other, Ata exhaling as he made the first move. He jumped forward, swinging down with both Mere, Raizou stepping back and spreading his arms, turning his body to the left slightly as he came down with his longer right blade, Ata spreading his own arms, swinging his left Mere down to block and hold down Raizou's right blade, jabbing his right club forward, Raizou blocking with his shorter left blade.

Both spun to the east, coming back to back as Gabi Raizou laughed. "You aren't too shabby Boy! This might be fun after all." he said, the Oni spinning to his left, Ata ducking down as he spun to face the demon, rising up and jabbing both of his Mere out, striking him in the stomach but not piercing his armor like flesh, pulling back and jabbing forward, creating a little space between the two of them as he blocked the right blade with both of his Mere. The shorter left blade swung lower, aiming for Ata's side, his first reaction being to spin to his left as he lowered the positioning of their clashed blades. Gabi Raizou's swing continued uninterrupted, Ata sliding to the demon's right before slamming his shoulder into him, creating separation once more. They both swung down with both of their weapons, colliding as sparks went flying, both of them lifting their left leg.

Both warriors stomped down, slamming their right shoulders together, Ata cursing at the pain that rang through his wound. Ata dropped his Mere, Gabi Raizou's hands sliding forward as Ata wrapped his arms around the demon's chest, jumping and falling back as he threw him overhead, hearing a clatter of blades as he struck the ground, both of them rolling to their feet and taking different stances. Raizou threw a left hook, Ata slapping it away with his right hand, a left palm strike weaved away from. Raizou turned to his right and swung, striking Ata in the stomach with a left uppercut, a right jab to the chest creating a little separation. Ata exhaled, throwing a right spin kick, using the space created to close in, throwing a left hook that was blocked with a left forearm. Ata threw his right elbow forward, the same forearm sliding back and blocking his attack, an overhand right cross coming his way.

Ata hastily turned to his right and crouched slightly, grabbing Raizou by the back of the knee and his right wrist, jumping up and spinning to the side before falling back, once more slamming the demon before they both returned to their feet, Ata panting before glancing to the pink bandages, stained by blood from the wound opening. He ran forward, his body still in decent condition as he jumped in the air slightly, turning his body to the left slightly as he threw a right punch that struck Raizou, causing him to stumble as Ata landed on his feet, the demon rubbing his chin as he exhaled. "So, how am I doing?" Ata asked, and the demon laughed maniacally, nodding his head. "Incredible! You're definitely one of the most skilled fighters I've ever fought! If you had one of those garish colored suits, you'd probably be able to beat me!" he shouted, his laugh ringing out through the mountain.

Raizou shouted, a pair of blue soldiers dragging a large chest with them, stopping in front of Ata and placing it down. He looked to the demon, who nodded silently as he picked up his swords, sheathing them before picking up Ata's Mere, finding them rather interesting. As for Ata, he was busy with the chest, undoing the latch before crouching down, pushing the rounded brown lid open and peering inside, seeming rather surprised. "Is this the artifact?" he asked, and Raizou nodded, testing out Ata's Mere by swinging them about and taking various stances. Ata reached in, touching the artifact, which was fairly cold, grazing his fingers across it before reaching in completely. The artifact was cold to the touch, Ata pulling it from the chest slowly, his eyes scanning it over. He looked back in the chest, seeing an old, worn book in the corner, reaching it with his left hand and grabbing it, his right hand holding the artifact itself.

"What do you think?" Raizou asked, and Ata looked to him, briefly watching his near flawless usage of the Mere before looking back to the objects in his hand. "An old book and a right glove. Seems pretty underwhelming." he joked, and Raizou nodded. "I thought the same thing, but look at the glove closer." he said, the cold, metallic artifact Ata's primary focus. He noted that it was actually a gauntlet, the surprisingly sleek armor layered atop what he assumed was some form of leather. However, the hand was a bit thick compared to everything else, be it the wrist or the fingers. Raizou stopped, sighing as he looked at Ata. Ata turned the glove over, noticing a hole in the back of the hand, at least four inches wide by four inches long, and, based off the thickness, an inch or two deep.

"What's with the hole?" he asked, the Oni snapping his fingers as a large diamond appeared in his hand. "This rock is like a key. The gauntlet won't accept you as it's user without this thing." he said, and Ata looked to it, closing the chest and placing the gauntlet on top of it. He opened the book, noticing that the writing on the inside was English, and at least seven to eight hundred years old. "And what's with this book? Looks like a journal of some sort." he noted, flipping and skimming through. "That's the journal of the previous user, a religious knight I believe you call a Crusader." he said, and Ata looked to him. "Like the Knights' Templar?" he asked, and Raizou shrugged and chuckled. "Something like that." Ata ran his fingers through his hair. "Why go through all this trouble to help me of all people?" he asked, and Raizou smirked, tossing Ata's Mere to him.

"Something tells me that if Master Kibaoni Gengetsu can't defeat those brats, that thing can." he said, pointing to the gauntlet. Ata closed the book, picking the gauntlet up. "Book says that once I activate this thing, that it'll bond itself to my being. Can you stop me if I lose control?" he asked, and Raizou nodded. Ata tossed the gauntlet lightly, catching it in his left hand and placing the book down. He slipped his hand into the gauntlet, an odd, ethereal feeling about the artifact, almost as if it was molding to his being, his hand sliding into the gauntlet with ease. "As long as you can stop me and keep me under control, then I'll gladly become your student." he said, and the Oni laughed heartily, flinging the diamond in Ata's direction, the Maori warrior catching it in his left palm and setting it into the back of the gauntlet. "Now all you have to do is will yourself to transform." he said, and Ata rose a brow. _Transform, huh?_

He lifted his right hand to his face, staring briefly at his palm before clenching his fist. " _ **Whakaahua**_." The single word escaped his lips, the gem shinning brightly as a murky, black energy secreted from the miniscule gaps in the gauntlet, spreading across his body like goosebumps, slowly taking shape as it thinned out, a sleek suit of flexible armor coating his body, the dark energy spreading upwards and coating his face, the helmet of the armor beginning to form, Ata's vision obscured as he breathed in, somehow noticing that oxygen reached his lungs despite his face being obscured. Raizou watched the face of the helmet form, almost identical to a tiki mask, or an angry face on a totem pole, albeit with slightly larger eyes, watching as they began to glow a bright white, the gem in the back of the right hand slowly beginning to vanish.

"So, how do you feel?" Raizou asked, and the armored warrior merely nodded, a black aura surrounding him as Gabi Raizou began to chuckle. "That's good, Boy! Now try and summon a weapon!" He shouted, rolling his shoulders as Ata held his right arm out, heavy breathing coming from the black suit. " _ **Puaki, Taku Manuka.**_ " he said, black energy forming and extending around his hand as he narrowed his eyes. _Why does this thing respond to my language?_ He wondered as the energy took shape, a black blade formed in his palm, rather basic in both size and make, the only word he could think of to refer to both his current appearance and weapon being 'Ordinary'. Raizou drew his longer sword, rolling his shoulders as he took his usual stance. "Now, let's begin your training."

Tsumuji stepped out of the room, worry evident on his face. "Will Takaharu be alright?" Fuuka asked, her concern for her heavily injured brother clearly evident. Tsumuji nodded. "He should be fine as long as he gets plenty of rest and we keep him under control." he said, the smile on his face more feigned for reassurance than genuine. Kasumi folded her arms. "Is there anything else we could do to help?" she asked, and Tsumuji shook his head. "No, the only way I could think of helping him is with some combination of roots and herbs and such, but the only one who knows about natural and herbal medicines is Ata." he said, the foreigner's name setting them all on edge.

Fuuka exhaled in frustration. "Ata would be able to help us if _somebody_ didn't insult him." she said, and Yakumo turned on the white ninja. "Give me a break. Him acting out all started because Nagi decided to bring him along to a fight." he said, redirecting the blame at the yellow ninja, who stood from his spot on the floor to defend himself. "Well someone had to do something! We agreed to train him and hadn't even told him what Ninpo was after a whole month!" he shouted, the blue ninja scoffing in response. "And getting him injured was your idea of doing something?" he responded, Tsumuji's jaw clenching. "Enough!" he shouted, the four ninja surprised at both the tone and volume of his voice. "We all messed up with Ata, but him not wanting to deal with us anymore isn't a reason to go after each other, especially since none of us were really his friend." he said.

Nagi opened his mouth to speak, but Kasumi placed a hand on his shoulder. "Uncle Tsumuji is right. We weren't his friends much less his teachers. For now, let's focus on making sure Takaharu gets better." she said, and the older man nodded. Fuuka exhaled. "But what are we going to do if there's another Yokai? We don't do that well unless it's all five of us." she wondered, and the other three noted that fact. "I reckon you should let me fill in." they heard, turning to see the gold ninja walk into the room, tipping his hat. "And why should we trust you?" Yakumo asked. The cowboy inhaled. "That foreign fellow, Ata, is something else. If Kyuuemon can get to him, we'll need to work together to stop him." he said, the thought of having to fight Ata crossing all of their minds.

Ata slid back, inhaling as he swung down, clashing blades with Raizou, both of them gripping their weapons with both hands and pushing forward. "You're doing quite well Boy! But how long do you think you can keep this up?" he asked, and Ata wondered himself, both swordsmen stepping back and coming down again, their blades grinding together as sparks began to fly. "It doesn't matter." he said, ducking under a wide swing from his teacher, coming up as he rose to his feet, Raizou drawing his other blade and blocking the attack, shoving Ata back, the foreigner leaning to his left to avoid the blade that flew past his armored face. "I will remain in this form forever if that's what it takes to achieve my goals." he said, jabbing his blade forward, watching the Oni step back.

"Well said!" Gabi Raizou shouted as he pointed both of his blades down, stamping his feet as he jabbed the tips of the blades into the ground, bright blue electricity coating the blades. His arms moved in the shape of a circle, Ata somehow getting the image of a full moon in his head. " _Garyudo: Raigen Giri!_ " Raizou screamed, his arms rolling as he threw a pair of wild horizontal slashes, his arms flowing and pausing above his head as he came down, all four waves of lightning like energy flying in his direction. Ata's mind raced much faster than he realized it could, his first thought being to defend himself. " _ **Hira!**_ " he shouted, the gauntlet responding to his command as his left hand spread, the energy secreting from his hand quickly forming and solidifying, a large shield in his hand, the energy slamming into it.

The first pair of attacks made Ata slide back, the shock and recoil from the attacks causing his entire body to pain him momentarily, the second pair of attacks striking his shield, his steadied stance allowing him to take the attacks, their force wearing down his muscles, keeping his body stiff in this situation extremely painful, his stance soon broken as his feet came off the ground, sending him flying. He crashed into the ground, his instincts causing him to lean into the direction he was moving to roll back to his feet easier, the sword and shield in his hand seeming to waver as Ata panted, as if their tangibility was dependent on his physical state or remaining energy. _Does this mean I can't use weapons when low on energy?_ He wondered, shaking his head. "Pay attention Boy!" Raizou screamed.

Ata hadn't noticed that he zoned out in thought, even if it was for a mere second. However, within the time it took him to think, Raizou had closed in, a single swing from both of his blades causing Ata to break free of his thought and react. He brought both his sword and shield up to defend himself, both weapons knocked from his grip, his fists clenching as he ducked down, throwing a left hook that struck Raizou in the side of his right knee, his shorter left blade clattering against the side of Ata's face, knocking him over as he jabbed out his own right leg, tripping the demon as they both rolled to their feet, brandishing their weapons and beginning to circle each other. Ata's composure wavered slightly, Raizou straightening his stance and sheathing his blades.

Ata frowned, straightening his own posture as he realized he was panting rather heavily. "Why sheath your blades?" he asked, and Raizou inhaled. "You are clearly exhausted. I cant afford to kill my own student, nor allow him to work himself to death." he said, and Ata understood what he meant, his weapons slowly beginning to fade as he inhaled deeply. "How do I get this armor off?" he asked, and Raizou chuckled. "Merely will it off." he said, and Ata nodded, closing his eyes and imaging the armor peeling away, the sleek suit dissipating and returning to it's original shape as the large gauntlet with the gem inside, a brisk wind hitting his skin making him open his eyes, realizing that the armor was gone just like he thought, the gauntlet itself also gone.

Raizou nodded. "You're pretty wounded. I'm sure the gauntlet will help heal you, but you should lay low for a day or so before coming back here. If both of us manage to survive long enough, we'll meet back here in two days at midday." he said, and Ata looked to his arm. "Where's the gauntlet?" he asked, and Raizou shrugged. "I'm fairly sure it's become a part of you. You can probably will it to appear. It might not work with you being covered in cuts, scrapes and bruises though." he said, and Ata nodded, watching the blue soldiers reappear and grab the chest, carrying it off deeper into the mountains, Ata turning back to his teacher to find that he had vanished, the only thing left being the old, worn book on the ground. He walked over to the book, picking it up and brushing the dirt and sand off of it. He glanced to the sky, noticing that the sun had almost set, a chuckle escaping his lips.

Ata grunted when he opened the door to his apartment, remembering that the lighting in the abode was rather bright, his eyes having gotten used to the dark, starry sky. "Where were you? It doesn't take over twelve hours to talk to a few people." Poe said, Ata kicking off his boots and exhaling as walked over to the couch near the table, collapsing on it and grunting as he waved off his friend. The Kurou walked over to him, folding his arms and shaking his head. "You look like shit. What were you doing this time?" he asked, and Ata sighed, sitting up and wincing, multiple bruises across his body beginning to throb. "Training." he said, and Poe's smile spread.

"You were training? That's great! I knew you could get through to them." he said, nodding smugly. Ata turned to him. "Training…. With Gabi Raizou." he said, delving further into his previous, vague statement. Poe's nodding stopped, a frown gracing his dapper features as he sighed. "What did you do?" he asked, and Ata shrugged. "What was necessary. I called the Igasaki out, and Yakumo was so pressed that he tried to bite back." he said, and Poe grumbled to himself, sitting next to Ata. "Please tell me he didn't try and insult you?" Poe half wondered, half stated. Ata nodded. "Called me and my people second rate. Headbutted him for it. Aimed a little high so he's probably at least slightly concussed, atop having a broken nose." he said.

Poe didn't seemed pleased, something that Ata saw coming. However, his friend's displeasure was rather amusing to him this time. "As long as you didn't do anything drastic, I see no problem with that." Ata rose a brow at this statement, his lips twitching as he smirked. "You mean the rage induced Haka where I swore to end their bloodline and suck their souls out of their still warm hearts?" he asked, the smug tone in his voice not surprising Poe as much as the words that were spoken. "So you plan to _kill_ them?" he asked, and Ata hummed. "Haven't honestly decided. I said I'd end their bloodline and suck their souls from their still warm hearts. Don't have to become a serial killer to accomplish that." he said, chuckling to himself. Poe sighed loudly.

"So what are you doing tomorrow? Gonna go swear fealty to Gabi Raizou and run amok as his partner in crime?" he asked, and Ata shrugged again. "That doesn't sound too bad, but tomorrow I'm staying home. Training with Gabi Raizou is a lot more intense than fighting those blue soldiers." he said, Poe noticing the book in his hand. "What's with the book?" he asked, and Ata looked at it, as if he wasn't too sure himself. "Gabi Raizou-sensei pretty much called it an instruction manual for my powers. It's the journal of the previous user." he said, and Poe blinked. "I'm going to regret asking this, but the previous user of _what_?" he asked, and Ata held out his bruised right arm, inhaling and exhaling as he concentrated, his skin beginning to warp and distort as it darkened, the gauntlet slowly forming over his arm. He noticed that the gem was already inside the gauntlet, seemingly set into the palm permanently.

"What the _fuck_ is that thing?" Poe asked, and Ata shrugged. "Besides being a gauntlet, I don't know. I haven't read enough of this book to figure out. It's in some weird ancient dialect of English that I'm having a bit of a hard time reading." he said, waving the book. Poe snatched the book from him, opening it and frowning as he turned the page. "It says that it doesn't have an honest name, but that it's name changes depending on the _otherworldly forces_ controlling it. The writer doesn't know whether that means something as minor as a demon or a spirit or something as major as it being a plaything that the gods give to mankind. Well, since this book mentions demons and otherworldly forces within the first couple of pages, I think it's safe to say that we should get rid of it." he said, nodding to himself.

Ata stood, looking to the artifact before shaking his head. "Gabi Raizou says I can't. He says it's bonded to me and that means that it's permanent, at least until I'm dead." he said, and Poe dropped the book, standing and folding his arms. "So you fought with a bunch of _Ninja_ , and realizing that you couldn't beat them, you sought out tutelage and help from a _demon_ , who gave you a gauntlet that is controlled by an unknown _otherworldly force_?" he asked, and Ata flexed his right hand, laughing to himself. "That'd make a decent book if the reason I did it was so that I had the power to protect some girl I fell in love with." he said, and Poe blinked, and Ata could tell that Poe's thoughts were split between scolding him and wondering exactly how good that book would be.

Poe grunted loudly in frustration. "And what can that thing even do anyway?" he asked, and Ata blinked. "Do you wanna see?" he asked, and Poe folded his arms, tapping his foot, not saying anything. Ata rolled his eyes. "Sometimes I wonder why I deal with you." he said, lifting his hand up to his face before clenching his palm, much like he did when he first put the gauntlet on. " _ **Whakaahua.**_ " he said, the armor beginning to form over his body, holding out his left arm as his helmet began to form around his head. " _ **Puaki, Ngaku Manuka**_." he said next, the shield forming in his hand, the sword firmly sheathed inside of it. Ata spread his arms wide, ignoring the pain in his shoulders and back as he did so. "What do you think?" he asked, and Poe remained rather speechless as Ata grit his teeth, trying to keep his composure at his friends slack jawed expression.

Ata willed the armor and weapons to vanish as he began laughing, sitting back down as Poe stumbled back in shock, shaking his head. He coughed, composing himself and grabbing the brim of his fedora. "I do hope you won't do that tomorrow." he said, and the fighter chuckled. "And why not?" he asked, and Poe grumbled to himself. "Well, it would certainly shock our guest." he said, and Ata hesitated, looking to his friend. "Guest? Don't you usually wait until you know I'm going to be gone to have guests over?" he asked, and Ata nodded. "You're right, but I figured that you'd make up with the Igasaki and all would be well. Instead, you decided to become some kind of medieval knight under the tutelage of a demon swordsman with a bad attitude." he said, and Ata could tell the fact slightly agitated Poe. He shrugged. "I promise to be a good boy, so you won't have to worry." he said, Poe glaring at him before sighing in relief. "And who is this guest anyway?" Ata asked, and Poe smiled.

"The new kid at the electronics store. His name is Hiro, and I invited him over for dinner tomorrow." he said, and Ata chuckled, honestly not minding the possibility of company. "Didn't you just meet him today? And you already got him coming over to meet your family for dinner? You move fast Poe. I'll have to ask you how you do it one day." he said, Poe's confusion quickly fading away into agitation. "Very funny, but unlike you, I think we should meet people and learn about them instead of assaulting them and trying to suck their souls out through their still warm hearts." he said, and Ata tilted his head. "But dinner and a conversation won't tell you the same thing fighting or eating someone will. You should know that." he said, and Poe rolled his eyes. He wondered how he put up with Ata sometimes, his eyes locking onto the gauntlet one more time before he sighed, off to figure out what was for dinner.

 _Finished! I do hope you enjoyed, as it was rather fun to right. I was debating on a couple of things, so this took me just a liiiiiiitle bit longer to write than I wanted, regardless of the fact that this will be posted the day after Chapter 1 lol. Thanks for viewing, especially if you got this far, since my chapters are extremely long, longer than some other folks entire fics. I appreciate it. Thanks for the constant views and support, and I hope you enjoy reading as much as I do writing, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF Inc._


	3. Haka 3: Ringa-A-Whiro

_What's poppin? Jiro again, hoping that y'all enjoyed the first two chapters, since it's time for round 3! It's not much I can say that I already haven't, so I'll just thank you for your views and support, and I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoy writing it. Thanks, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF inc._

Ata looked at the gauntlet on his hand, still rather fascinated by it. He glanced to the book in front of him, knowing full well that Poe was more adept at reading old texts than he was, the fighter unable to recognize a few of the terms used in the book. "Hey Poe, would you mind helping me look through a little of this book today?" he asked, and the Kurou looked to him, grumbling to himself as he went back to his tasks. "I guess so, as long as you seriously promise to not act out at dinner tonight." he said, and Ata rolled his eyes. "I'm not an untrained dog Poe. I don't need to be confined to my kennel just because you're having a guest over." he said, the witty creature standing and shrugging. "Could've fooled me to be honest." he said, and Ata chuckled at the retort, nodding. "That one was good, so I'll give my word." he said, placing his right hand on his heart and lifting his left, a comically blank look on his face.

Poe sighed as he flipped through the book, Ata watching his friend's face intently. "Says that a few of the legends pertaining to the previous user are off, as his adventures or conquests or what have you happened hundreds of years before stated." Poe noted first, making Ata wonder why that would need to be pointed out. "Does it say who the previous user is?" he asked, and Poe nodded. "It does, but the text is rather worn and faded. I might need to see if one of my contacts can help me decipher it, since he's big into old shit." he said, and Ata nodded in appreciation. "Have your thoughts been unusual?" he asked, and Ata tilted his head.

"Not really. My thoughts since receiving the gauntlet and activating it have been identical. Just train, fight and have fun." he said, and Poe hummed. "That blockhead thought process might help, since the previous user noted that the gauntlet made him more aggressive within the first week or two. He chocks it up to it's 'dark energy source', which, much like the name of the damn thing, apparently changes depending on the supernatural forces in control of it." he said, and Ata hummed. "Could any of the Maori be in control of it? It actually responded to our native tongue." he said, and Poe nodded. "Could be a possibility. Either that or some other Polynesian forces that can somewhat understand us." he said, making Ata's mind wander.

Poe flipped to the back of the book, the end of the previous user's writing most interesting to him. His blue eyes scanned the ancient text, a chuckle rising from his throat and catching Ata's attention. "Says here that his breaking point was losing to some demonic king, another ancient warrior whose power surpassed his." he said, and Ata rose a brow, looking to the artifact. "Ancient King, huh? Anything on said king?" he asked, and Poe hummed. "Apparently the dark energy source caught his attention somehow, and the king attempted to use it to his advantage, but the writer managed to get to wellsprings of it sooner before the king challenged him to open combat." he said, Ata's eyes narrowing slightly. _Wellsprings?_ He wondered, listening to Poe read on. "But, the king wasn't alone, and a group of…. Homonculi aided him against this, Crusader." he said, and Ata narrowed his eyes.

Not at the statement, but at the look on Poe's face, almost as if he knew exactly who this unnamed king was, and that it bothered him. "Anything else on the king? A name, kingdom, appearance?" he asked, and Poe shook his head. "Just that using the wellspring of energy ahead of the king pushed him even further into madness." he said, and Ata could tell that there was something else, but made no attempt to pry further. "What would the wellsprings be used for?" he asked, and Poe shrugged, flipping through the book. "Nothing really. It's almost like he simply absorbed these wellsprings of energy and just let them pile up and seemingly take him over. So I suggest that you try and think of different ways to release this energy before it tries to take you over." he said, pointing at his friend, who chuckled.

"It won't. I'm not a Holy Warrior, so if I lose to some great evil I won't lose my mind." he said, and Poe nodded. "Book mentions that not too long after defeating him, the king and his homonculi vanished. While this eased his heart a little bit, the writer merely wandered across Europe and Asia until he reached Japan, where the book ends with 'the energy is too plentiful here. I fear for what would become of me if this energy all swarmed me at once. I assume I would become akin to Satan, if not become possessed by Satan himself." he read, and Ata chuckled. "So Gabi Raizou really did set everything up. He got the gauntlet, the journal that talks about it, and he kept it in a place where the source of it's power was plentiful. I'll have to compliment him for his genius next time we meet."

Poe grunted, flipping through the book. "The writer never refers to himself by name, almost as if he didn't want anyone to figure out who he was." Poe noted, and Ata hummed. "My current interest is the wellsprings. Anything on them?" he asked, and Poe flipped through the book, stopping on a page and running his fingers along the worn material. "Apparently each wellspring pushes you towards madness, but it can also increase your power as well. ' _I willed the darkness I took in to take shape, forming into the light of God, and as if aided by angels, the darkness became a great light, and those that witnessed my form said that my eyes were as white as my skin.'_ " Poe read, and Ata hummed. "When I transform, my eyes are also white. Does it mention anything else?" he asked, and Poe tilted his head.

"Doesn't look like it. There's a faded passage about the otherworldly forces having that knowledge, but nothing I can say for certain with the condition of the text." he said, Ata rubbing his chin, honestly rather interested. "Is there anything on what it can do without being activated? I don't want to have to transform to use even the most minute function." he said, and Poe nodded. "It would be a bitch, especially if you aim to keep your identity a secret from anyone." he said, Ata nodding. "I have no reason to keep my identity a secret from the general public, but the Igasaki might actually have reason to launch a preemptive attack, so the less they know the better." he said, Poe nodding smugly.

"It says that the ability to perform minor tasks like materialization of weapons or elemental resistance comes after the intake of the first wellspring of energy. The second one the writer took in allowed him to, as previously mentioned, 'turn the darkness to a great light'." he said, and Ata's thoughts became more precise. "Any mention on the exact number of these wellsprings?" he asked, and Poe shook his head. "Nothing. Just that each one gives you more power at the cost of your mental and spiritual health." he said, Ata chuckling as he glanced to the midday sun. "Something tells me that if Te Tapu Toa had a stronger will that a lot of my questions would have clean answers." he said, Poe noticing that he was stretching.

"You aren't going to do anything stupid, are you?" he asked, and Ata shook his head. "I want to go for a walk. Staying inside all day isn't really my thing. And besides, you have more time to get ready for your date tonight." he said, Poe grunting as he closed the book. "It's not a date Ata. Especially not if you're there." he said, Ata feigning hurt as he slid his shoes on, slapping his chest and chuckling. "No weapons this time?" Poe asked, and Ata hummed. He shook his head, slapping his right forearm. "I've got this thing. Shouldn't need them." he said, and Poe grumbled as he watched the bronze skinned fighter leave the room, his eyes looking to the book. "If what I read is right, than Raizou picking Ata couldn't be more convenient." he said, sighing as he stood.

Ata walked the streets in thought, his mind almost working for two people, his thoughts cut between the unknowns of his power, and exactly how hard it would be to keep his identity as some black knight secret should something attack. _Probably have to wait till everyone ran away. Might even have to provoke them to run away too._ He thought to himself, shaking his head and sighing. _I guess this isn't gonna be easy._ He thought with a chuckle, weaving through the crowded streets. His thoughts shifted as he rounded a corner, onto something that caught his attention when he was back home. _What does Poe actually know? He seemed to be able to pick up on things I didn't._ He noted, shrugging as he glanced to the mountains, noticing the sun setting behind them. He blinked, realizing how long he'd been out. _Gotta get back home in time for dinner._

When Ata entered the apartment, he noticed that their guest had yet to arrive, a sigh escaping his lips, his worries of being late vanishing into thin air. "Thank the Gods." he mumbled to himself, noticing that Poe was hard at work in the kitchen, Ata curious as to what he would try and impress their guest with. Entering the kitchen, his nose immediately caught the scent of beef, something Ata didn't eat often, the rare scent causing him to smile. "Beef? You really do try to impress everyone." he said, and Poe chuckled, dropping onions into a pan. "Gotta do something special every once in a while. It's not like I'm cooking for tribal celebrations back home." he said, and Ata grunted in agreement. "The dude's pretty small. You sure he'll be able to eat all this?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "As long as the person eating my food is satisfied, how much they eat isn't a factor to me."

Ata chuckled, the duo hearing a knock at the door. Poe cursed, glancing to Ata, who nodded. "No Powhiris!" Poe shouted, Ata turning his heels mid step, his initial thought being to grab the feather and his Taiaha. "And be respectful! Use suffixes!" he shouted, rolling his eyes at how overly formal and proper his friend was being. He twisted the knob, pulling the door open and glancing down, remembering his height advantage. He shook his head slightly. _Height advantage? Do I plan on fighting the kid?_ He wondered, chuckling to himself. The shorter male, who was no taller than five and a half feet, was dressed rather casually, a shirt with a collar and pair of dress slacks that let Ata know that either his guest preferred comfort or didn't think tonight warranted formal clothing.

The boy, Ata guessing he was at the least two or three years younger than himself, glanced up to him before bowing, his hat still on his head. "How ya doin' Kid? You alright after that fucker showed up the other day?" he asked, the boy nodding silently before Ata stepped aside, inviting him in, his steps all nervous, his movement hesitating when he glanced to the shelf to the right, the weapons adorning it catching his attention. "You know how to use any of those?" Ata asked, watching him shake his head. "I didn't think you would. Basic as they are in both usage and design, not many outside of my homeland can use them." he said, and Hiro lifted his right hand slightly. "W-where are you from?" he asked, his voice quiet.

Ata glanced to the kitchen, Poe reaching into the cabinet to grab plates. "New Zealand. My people, the native Maori, call it Aotearoa. It's much, much different than Japan." he said, the boy nodding as they walked over to a space that Poe had turned into a dining room, Ata swearing this empty space was his indoor training area, choosing not to say anything as he sat at the head of the table, preferring to watch Poe and Hiro talk, the two bound to have more in common than Hiro and himself. "Do you guys ever have monster problems in New Zealand?" Hiro asked, Ata able to tell that he was beginning to relax. Ata laughed at the question, shaking his head. "Not very often. Before coming to Japan we had monster problems in my village only once or twice, and the one time was where I met Poe here." he said, and Hiro blinked.

"Poe? I thought his name was Kenga." he said, sitting down to Ata's left. Ata glanced behind himself to where Poe was walking, plates in hand. "Poe is his nickname. It's short for Pokere, which means 'Dark' in my native tongue. And since 'dark' and 'black' are used interchangeably, I figured it fit. Kenga is part of his first name." he said, as Hiro glanced down to the food in front of him, his hat and messy light brown hair blocking Ata's view of his face. "Part of it?" he asked, and Ata nodded, inhaling nasally and smelling the fresh cooked food. "Yep. His first names and middles names, whatever way he wants to go about that, is Atua Whiowhio Kenga Teone, which means 'Train Gang Jones'." he explained, Hiro chuckling at that translation.

Ata remained silent throughout diner mostly, his thoughts preoccupied with other things, Poe and Hiro actually engaged in conversation. His friend seemed rather pleased with how things were going, Ata remaining calm and quiet instead of acting out or transforming randomly in the middle of the meal, Ata gritting his teeth and clenching his jaw to stifle a laugh that rose up in his throat, knowing full well that Poe's reaction would be hysterical. "Ata-San, I just wanted to thank you for taking care of that monster. It could've done some serious damage if you didn't stop it." Hiro said, Ata waving it off and chuckling. "It's no big deal. Besides, shopping isn't my specialty, that's Poe's." he said, his friend turning to him and sighing. "Shopping, cooking, cleaning, _thinking._ I seem to specialize in more than you." he said, and Ata nodded. "You're right. Although it must suck to be good at woman stuff." he said, laughing at his friend's face as he grabbed the emptied plates. "I'm taking the plates out. Try not to fight Hiro over something stupid."

Ata rolled his eyes, waving his friend off with a laugh as he glanced to Hiro, noticing that the boy still had his hat on. "Why not take the hat off, Tai? We're inside and at the dinner table." he said, and Hiro chuckled. "I like this hat, that's all." he said, and Ata hummed. _Can't be mad at him for that. Especially when I usually have my Mere in my back pocket._ He thought with a chuckle. "I can understand that. Although, why accept Poe's dinner invitation? Isn't he one of those monsters that plague Japan constantly?" he asked, and Hiro shook his head. "Poe-San is a good person, and he can actually speak Japanese, unlike most of the grunts. And my Mother says that I should try to make friends, since we're new in town." he said with a chuckle, Ata shrugging and humming. "Sounds fair to me. Although, you could've picked someone better than the nagging housewife over there." he whispered, Hiro chuckling at Poe's loud, nagging response.

Later that night, Hiro gasped in surprise when he noticed the time. Ata glanced to him with a raised brow. "Forget when you were supposed to leave?" he asked, and the boy nodded before standing. "It was nice meeting you. Your cooking was really good Poe-San." he said with a bow, Poe smiling and bowing in response. "That's good to hear. Feel free to stop by at any time. Having nobody but Ata on a daily basis is rather tedious." he said, Ata looking to his friend and sighing. "Ata-San, could I perhaps talk to you in private?" he asked, Ata shrugging and looking to Poe with a smug look, one that said 'Looks like I'm the popular one.' Poe shook his head as Ata glanced to his injured shoulder, walking out of the door after Hiro, noticing that his arm wasn't bothering him anymore.

"I don't get it. I did all of this and he still wanted to talk to you." Poe complained as he watched Ata undress his wound. "All he wanted to do was thank me for helping him out. Said it was inspiring to see someone so outgoing despite being foreign." he said, and Poe grumbled. "So he thanks you for being an obnoxious brute but not me?" he asked, and Ata rolled his eyes. "You're looking too far into it. It's not like he was trying to pay me or employ me to do some task you would find asinine." he said, and Poe nodded. "Still can't help but be a little peeved about it." he said, and Ata chuckled. "Like I said, all he did was thank me for helping out at the store and….." he said, trailing off as he noticed something. "What is it?" Poe asked, noticing the look on his friend's face. Ata discarded the last of the bandages on his arm, frowning.

"Something's wrong." he said, and Poe tilted his head. "What is it?" he asked, and Ata looked to him. "Trail Hiro tomorrow for me. Carry a pair of Patu on you." he said, and Poe frowned himself, the odd commands worrying him. "Hiro said 'I hope you never change, and that your arm gets better.'" he said, and Poe blinked before looking to Ata's arm, his jaw going slack as he noticed that the scar on Ata's arm was gone. "Do you think he knows something?" Poe asked, and Ata nodded. "The 'I hope you never change' part must refer to how the usage of the gauntlet twists the user and the part about my arm getting better seems a little too convenient tonight of all nights." he said, and Poe nodded. "I'll trail him for you, but you best be wrong about him. He's just a good kid." he said, and Ata rolled his eyes. "A good kid that seemingly knows too much."

That night, Ata frowned, his mind stuck on whether or not Hiro's words were coincidental. _Is anything really?_ He thought to himself, sighing as he stood, grumbling at how overly soft his bed was, the fighter preferring a slightly stiffer bed for some reason. He walked over to his closet, rubbing his face in irritation at his inability to get sleep. _How am I supposed to train with no sleep?_ He wondered, absentmindedly grabbing a shirt and looking at it. He noted that it was the shirt he wore the other day, when he confronted the Igasaki. _Poe cleaned this already?_ He wondered, noticing that none of the sweat or blood that he remembered getting on it were visible. He also looked at it, taking time to read it before cracking up, his laughter remaining until the shirt was completely on his body. "Poe was right. A shirt that says 'The King of Strong Style' is right up my alley."

Ata sighed as he walked the much less crowded streets, only a few people moving from here to there, most groggy late night workers or nocturnal commuters who preferred to be at their destination before the sun rose. Ata wasn't part of either group, the fighter simply walking to clear his mind, something that wasn't working. He glanced about as he shifted directions, heading towards the mountains instead, scratching the back of his head in irritation. _Something else is getting to me, but I don't have a clue what. It' s almost like I'm worried._ He noted, his left hand twitching, much like it always did when he was worried. However, this fact brought on another thought that made him chuckle to himself. _My hand wasn't twitching when I confronted the Igasaki. I guess they really don't worry me after all._ He said, scratching his chin before sighing. _Too bad I gotta suck their souls from their still warm hearts._

Ata noticed that his left hand had stopped twitching over the last hour, his training clearing his mind as always. Jumping back, he inhaled as he switched stances, closing his fists and bending his arms completely, practicing ways to strike with elbows from odd angles, a hard right elbow causing him to hesitate, opening his right hand as he exhaled. He stepped back, a flurry of punches shifting the air as he ducked down and weaved forward from right to left, shifting his footing as he rose up with a left knee, the sand and dirt beneath him flying back as his leg came down quickly, shifting to a right elbow, his eyes locking onto his right hand once more, straightening his stance as he sighed, willing the gauntlet to appear, staring at it as if trying to understand it.

 _I can train and fight without it. It's influence must be very sudden, since I'm able to function without it so easily._ He thought, wondering if Poe was right, and that his love of fighting for no particular reason helped him resist the artifact. Ata clenched his fist, opening his palm slowly as he watched the unusual dark colored energy pool in his palm, it's appearance like dark flames. _No, that's not right. It's more like actual shadows. Like I'm running in the dark._ He thought, closing his hand and opening it once more, the energy gone at his will. _I've only had the thing a little over a day and I can already use the thing at will. Seems like the low learning curve makes the thing rather tantalizing to people that would be desperate to grow stronger._ He noted.

He looked out to the city, the lights across the city making it seem like he was looking down at the cosmos, something that made him chuckle. "What seems to have caught your attention, Foreigner?" Ata heard, glancing back, the familiar long sleeves and white mask rather amusing to him. He sighed, his eyes moving up and facing forward. "Obviously you, since you interrupted my sightseeing." he retorted, the fox ninja laughing as he stepped forward, still a decent ways away from Ata. _Keeping enough space between us to guarantee your safety, huh?_ He wondered, opening his hand as the dark energy slowly began falling, almost dripping from the fingertips of the gauntlet as he spun, Ata flexing his hand before folding his arms. "That's a fair point." the fox said, the energy moving through the ground at Ata's will before stopping near Kyuuemon, Ata gritting his teeth to stifle a chuckle.

"So what brings you here? Gabi Raizou-sensei isn't due to arrive here for around six to eight hours." he asked, the fox's vague purpose slowly starting to get on his nerves. The fox exhaled, taking one step closer, only a mere pace away from Ata's trap. "I'm merely here to observe your progress. Since you are under Raizou's tutelage, that makes you a member of Master Kibaoni Gengetsu's forces." he said, and Ata laughed. "Fat chance. When this Pepperoni Komatsu guy shows up, I'll decide if he's worth my time." he proclaimed, the fox snickering, as if agitated by the statement. "You'd do well to not disrespect the Master. The Ninningers aren't your allies any more." he said, and Ata nodded, shrugging. "You're actually right. Although, I doubt you could beat me without almost unhealable wounds." he said, the fox's head tilting slightly.

"You? Beat me? Don't make me laugh, you can't even defeat one of the Ninningers!" He said, seeming slightly provoked, Ata trying to push the fox into triggering his trap. "I could probably beat them all right now if it was one on one. However, not only is getting stronger my top priority, not all of them are at 100%, so I refuse to kill them." he said, and the Fox sighed in exasperation. "You brutes always pick a bad time to uphold your honorable conduct." Ata shook his head at the statement, taking his own step forward. "Oh and by the way, just remember this, and make sure to tell everyone you know. If you're still around when I defeat the Ninningers, I will turn my sights on you. You can tell every other monster you know that too." he said, the fox moving to take a step forward.

Kyuuemon's foot came down, the energy spiking up and piercing his foot and calf, exploding through his knee as Ata blinked, feigning ignorance. Kyuuemon growled as he stumbled back, blood dripping from his wound and polluting the ground. Ata looked to the gauntlet, opening his palm and looking at it. "Looks like I'm not as in control as I thought. It could get dangerous for you, especially if you provoke me." he said, his words making it rather obvious that the trap was set on purpose. "You will pay for this." Kyuuemon said, and Ata rose a brow. "Really? That's fine, tell the hospital to bill me." he said, squaring his stance and exhaling. "Although.." he began, lifting his right arm slightly, watching the fox with an odd fascination. "If you mean to inflict harm upon me in retribution, you are more than welcome to. After all, I am merely a large human. Surely I'm no match for a ninja of your caliber." he said.

He could sense the fox's irritation, his eyes locked firmly on his injured leg. The ninja straightened his posture, inhaling and exhaling heavily, a pattern of breathing Ata recognized quite well. "Perhaps that glove has gotten to you already. You've had it for less than an entire day and you've already begun provoking your sensei's superiors." he said, and Ata rose a brow. "This thing? Get to me?" He asked in confusion, waving his arm around. "Funny. This thing won't get to me that easily. You see, I love fighting, especially when I get to fight someone that'll give me a challenge. So one of the first skills I had to learn as a fighter was, as you ninjas would call it, the 'Talk No Jutsu', a technique where I use my wit and words to provoke my opponent into making the first move or instigating the fight themselves." He explained, a smile on his face.

He pointed his right hand at Kyuuemon, the unusual smile still present on his face, a cheshire grin that reminded the fox of a demonic cat. "And by the looks of it, my 'Ata Style: Talk No Jutsu' is rather effective, even on the most cunning of actual ninja." he taunted, taking another step closer to the injured fox. Ata hummed, folding his left arm behind his back. "I wonder. Why haven't you fled? Called for allies? Attacked?" he asked, rubbing his chin with the gauntlet, noticing that the fingers of the gauntlet seemed ever so slightly sharper. "Could it be that you can't? Perhaps your allies expect you to be elsewhere, or you don't want to deal with Gabi Raizou-sensei. Or perhaps…. you're too scared." he said, pointing to the fox, finding his late night activities rather entertaining.

"Me? Afraid of some oversized kitten? Don't be ridiculous." he said, and Ata blinked, chuckling. He walked around Kyuuemon, leaning down and placing his chin on Kyuuemon's left shoulder. "Then why are you shaking? Cold?" he asked, straightening his posture and patting the fox on the head. "I can tell that you came out here to see my transformation, perhaps to try and turn me into a tool of yours or something. Guess it didn't work, huh Kyuubiman?" "My name is Kyuuemon." the fox replied instantly, Ata waving him off as he walked away, exhaling as he dropped down to a cross legged sitting position, staring at the night time activity of the city, the cosmic appearance rather enjoyable to him, a smile spreading across his face once smoke flew past his vision, signaling that Kyuuemon had finally left.

"That bastard." the fox snarled out, limping through the halls of the castle, his leg still bleeding and in pain. A hearty, throaty laugh resounded around him, the fox hesitating at the sound. "What do you think, Fox? Isn't the boy something else!?" Gabi Raizou asked heartily, a rather enthused air about him despite the fact that he was a demon. "Hardly. Just another run of the mill Yokai to me." he said, and the demon swordsman patted the fox ninja on the back. "And you let a run of the mill Yokai injure you like that? I guess all you're good for is talking after all." he said, walking off, his laugh resounding throughout the halls of the castle, the sound of a proud teacher rather irritating the injured ninja.

Ata slapped his thigh, standing up and exhaling. "Now that the fox is out of my hair, I can get back to training." he said, smiling as he turned away from the cliff, holding out his right hand, breathing in and out slowly. _**"** **Whakaahua."**_ The word escaped his lips mere fractions of a second before his arm throbbed, the energy radiating from the gauntlet spreading like a symbiotic ooze across his body, his transformation seeming to speed up ever so slightly, Ata breathing in and out as he rolled his shoulders. "Now, let's get to work." he said, lifting his hands up to his face and spreading his palms, exhaling as he stepped forward, swinging his right palm, a gust of wind blowing the sand and dirt on the ground about, Ata noticing the wind was merely air generated from the force of his blow.

"Maybe I can actually learn how to manipulate wind like this." he said to himself, another pair of right palm swings generating increasing amounts of force, Ata's stance changing slightly, his body turning to the right, his right palm turning inwards as his left palm faced the ground and his arm moved down to his waist. He curled his body up slightly, lifting his leg until his knee was near the center of his chest, the energy rising around him as he threw a straight left kick, the force of the blow combining with the slight turn of his foot and body. A swirling gale, akin to a tornado, blew out, Ata able to hear trees in the distance snapping from the blow. He chuckled, bending his leg and rolling it as he placed it down. "That's more like it." he said, his left leg lifting up slightly as he extended his arms and closed his fists.

"Waiting for me, are you? Seems you're rather eager about this!" Gabi Raizou shouted as he arrived, the midday sun high above the mountain as Ata nodded, the dark armor still adorning his body. "You must be melting in that thing." The Oni said, a tone much more casual than expected. Ata shook his head, looking at his palms briefly. "Surprisingly, I'm rather comfortable. I've worked up a sweat from my physical activity, but the sun hasn't effected me at all, and neither has the wind." he said, and Raizou nodded, drawing both of his swords. "Since you've already developed a resistance to the weather and have the endurance of a polar bear, I think I'll teach you one of my favorite moves." he said, and Ata rose a brow beneath the helmet, listening closely.

"Watch me closely, and then explain the attack to the best of your ability." he instructed, turning to the side and jabbing the tip of his longer blade in the ground, Ata now noticing that the left blade was too short to pierce the ground, regardless of Raizou's broad, low stance. The blades turned, blue electricity immediately coating the blades, Ata's eyes narrowing. _The air shifted around his blades, and I felt something from the ground._ He noted, the blades beginning to move around Raizou in a circle, Ata still getting the mental image of a full moon as the Oni swung the blades horizontally, his arms rolling up and past his face to stop afterward, coming down vertically as the lighting flew from the blade, the attacks dissipating in the air above the city. He exhaled, turning to Ata and gesturing to him with his right blade. "Well?"

Ata tapped his chin, exhaling. "I'm not entirely sure what you did to be honest. I noticed a shift in the air around your blades, and the ground itself seemed to twinge. If I were to guess, I would say that you tap into your own energy and use it or manipulate the air around your blades to create enough friction to generate a great amount of electricity. As for the image of the full moon that always pops up in my head, I assume that's a personal touch." he said, and Raizou laughed, pointing at him with his left blade. "That's good, Boy! You got it on the first try." he said, watching Ata summon his sword before tossing his shorter blade to the black armored fighter, watching him catch it. "Now you try."

Ata panted, realizing that his energy was nearly depleted, his body growing weak after his almost non stop training and lack of sleep. _I've been at this for almost 24 hours straight._ He thought, watching Raizou sheath his blades. The Oni himself seemed rather worn from the training, the stars above them signaling that they'd been at it for around eight hours or more. "I'm glad you almost got it down. Keep working at it, and we'll meet here again. Same timeframe. Two days at midday." he said, and Ata nodded, willing the armor off of his body, noticing that most of his wounds had been healed, guessing that the gauntlet healed his wounds at the cost of his stamina, a rather heavy wound he took earlier causing him to become more tired instead of causing him pain. Ata bowed in respect, appreciating the Oni, who laughed as he disappeared.

When Ata returned home, Poe was waiting for him, a steaming plate already at the table. "Many thanks Brother." he said, dropping down at the table before glancing to the door, making sure he remembered to take his shoes off. "You were gone rather long. When I heard you shuffling out the door at two or three I didn't think it would take you twenty hours to get home." he said, and Ata nodded. "My apologies for vanishing without leaving a note or something. I had a lot on my mind." he said, and Poe nodded. "Like Hiro?" he asked, and Ata blinked, remembering that he asked the Kurou to tail the suspicious boy. "Partially. How'd that go by the way?" he asked, and Poe grunted. "Uneventful. He went from work to a small sushi spot to a small apartment about twenty minutes from here." he said.

Ata nodded. "I'll keep an eye on him personally if need be. I just don't wanna have to confront him without at least a shred of evidence his words weren't coincidental." he said, and Poe chuckled. "You should let it go and be happy that you're feeling better and getting trained like you had hoped." he said, causing Ata to nod. "I am actually. Gabi Raizou-sensei taught me the Garyu School: Lightning Wraith Strike today, and I'm fairly sure I'm learning how to manipulate wind in some fashion." he said, causing Poe to hum. "The book mentioned something about elemental powers. The writer said that as he discovered these wellsprings of energy, his form continued to evolve." he began, sighing.

"And once his body reached it's pinnacle form, something he called 'The Archangel', he only discovered one more wellspring, which at the end of the book he mentioned needed to be converted into something. Never explained what though." he said, and Ata chuckled. "So you think my ability to somewhat manipulate wind now comes from this unused wellspring of energy stored in here?" he asked, shaking his right hand. Poe shrugged. "Anything's possible to be honest. I would be careful though. If you can't convert it, who knows what'll happen." he said, the warning lost on Ata, who merely laughed. "If I can manipulate wind because of one wellspring of energy, imagine what I could do with two, or five, or even ten!" he shouted, seeming almost obliviously interested.

"Ata!" Poe shouted, the man in question blinking as he sighed. "Sorry about that. Got a little bit enthused there. Does the book honestly mention anything about the number of wellsprings?" he asked, and Poe nodded, noticing that Ata narrowed his eyes, his pupils locked on his right hand. "According to the book, the user found them all throughout Europe and Asia. He says that the last cluster of wellsprings, numbering fewer than ten, is here in Japan. I can assume that since you've already gained one form of elemental manipulation, that the user found one of the Japanese wellsprings already." he explained, Ata shaking his head. "This is honestly getting rather irritating with this whole wellsprings of this energy source thing. Although, it is rather easy to use." he said, opening his right hand as a ball of energy morphed into the shape of a sleeping kitten wrapping it's tail around it's face.

Poe watched the energy dissipate, seeming rather impressed by the detail in the imagery. "You are getting rather good with it after only a couple of days. Just try not to overwork yourself. We still don't know what this thing is capable of, and honestly, I really don't want to find out." he said, Ata raising a brow and nodding. "You're right. I am actually rather tired. I might even hit the hay early." he said, nodding to his friend and slapping the table as he stood, turning in the direction of his room before glancing back to Poe, chuckling as he began to walk forward. "Although, we differ on one thing. I personally want to see everything this thing is capable of, and I want to see if I can push it beyond it's limits." he said, the gauntlet's dark metal reflecting the hallway's bright light eerily.

The next morning, Ata and Poe surprisingly agreed on something, both of them choosing to go out to eat for breakfast, some of the food in Japan intriguing both of them. "What do they call it when they serve you raw food and you cook it yourself at the table?" Ata asked as the duo walked the streets, the two sticking out rather blatantly, the Kurou and his large bronze friend receiving many odd looks as Poe shrugged. "I don't remember honestly. I think it's 'yakiniku', but I could be confusing it for something else. Since the customer cooks it themselves, I never paid attention to it when learning to cook." He admitted, Ata grunting as they entered a restaurant chosen at random, the only reason the duo chose it being smell. The two sat, Ata grumbling at the booth they chose, something he did often since he was such a large person.

"Hey Ata, since you plan on being some armored supervillain, have you come up with a nickname or title for yourself?" Poe asked, and Ata blinked as he looked at the Kurou. He scratched his chin, the wiry hairs now almost familiar to Ata, his thoughts briefly shifting to if he'd actually shave off the facial hair when he got home, his eyes shifting back to the dinner in front of him, swearing that just recently he was out eating breakfast. "I honestly haven't. Since I'm one guy, I _would_ call myself a Kamen Rider, even jokingly, but I wouldn't wish to offend any respectable Kamen Riders." he said, and Poe chuckled. "That's rather thoughtful coming from you. I would've figured that you'd use the name to draw more fights your way." he said, and Ata nodded. "I can do that, but at the same time, there might be those that would do me harm, be them monsters or Kamen Riders, or colored idiots in suits and so on." he explained, almost as if he was trying to believe it himself.

"So you want the blessing from a Kamen Rider before you start throwing the name around?" he wondered, and Ata nodded. "Unless my transformed state makes the news with 'Kamen Rider' in the tagline, I honestly don't think I'll ever use it." he said, chuckling. Poe sighed. "Figured you wouldn't come up with a name after two days." he said, and Ata chuckled as he stood, drowsiness and exhaustion both evident in his eyes. "You're right. I have to do supervillain shit before I can have a supervillain name. All I've done is literally train." he said, and Poe nodded with a chuckle. "And since you've been doing all of this training, your body is incredibly tired, which is why you're gonna pretend to go to bed to not to the dishes, right?" Poe asked, and Ata chuckled and nodded without turning back. "You're damn right." he said, Poe's exasperated sigh lost on his weary, tired ears.

The next morning, Ata was in a rather energetic mood, choosing to train indoors, using a style that was much more lively than the ones Poe had seen the fighter use. "Rather peppy today, aren't you?" he asked, watching Ata hit the ground after a spinning jump kick, inhaling as he smiled. "I do feel rather good today. I must've slept rather well compared to before." he noted, Poe shaking his head. Ata glanced to his friend, spinning and throwing a left backfist as he faced him. "Anything new from the book?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "Nothing of much worth. Most notable thing besides random personal ramblings and scribbled madness was that he said 'I sense great darkness in places with unusual phenomenon. This country is a cespool of convenience for both me and my enemies." he recited, and Ata hummed.

"Any idea what he means by that?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "It was written hundreds of years ago, so the exact meaning could be something complex that I can't think of or something as simple as 'where there are unusual phenomenon, there is great darkness'. And this 'great darkness' can mean anything from demons, underworld dwelling gods, wellsprings of energy and so on and so forth." he said, causing Ata to chuckle. "If push comes to shove, we'll pack up and look for these unusual phenomenon. I've stayed in town for over month, so taking a road trip won't be too much of a problem." he said, and Poe nodded. "I'll make sure to keep that in mind." he noted, Ata returning to his training as Poe headed off to continue looking through said book.

"Hey Ata, if you end up on the bad side of more than just the Ninningers, what do you plan on doing?" the Kurou asked hours later, Ata still training, not a bead of sweat on his body anywhere. "I have no idea. If I can talk to them, I'll convince them that they aren't my enemies. If that doesn't work, then I will defeat them decisively enough to satisfy myself. However, I will not kill them without knowing them as a person first." he said, Poe rather surprised. "So no 'fight first, ask questions much later'? Maybe that gauntlet has changed you." he said, and Ata chuckled, shaking the gauntlet. "Speaking of which, I thought about that whole supervillain name thing you mentioned, and I actually came up with a name for this thing." he said, referring to the metallic artifact on his right arm. "What is it?" Poe asked, Ata humming.

"Ringa-A-Whiro." he said, causing Poe to laugh. "The arm of Whiro? The Maori Lord of Evil?" he asked, and Ata nodded. "I was going to called myself Whiro, but not only is referring to yourself as a god disrespectful, it's also disrespectful to Tumatauenga, who's name is a part of mine." he explained, Poe nodding. Poe went to speak, but at that moment, the entire building shook, Ata turning to the window and frowning, the gauntlet responding to his mind and transforming him wordlessly. " _ **Igasaki.**_ " He turned, heading for the door without a single word, Poe frowning as he stood, walking to the window to see what angered Ata so much, his breath catching in his throat at the sight of Gabi Raizou, who appeared to be a mindless giant, facing off against a giant robot that could only belong to the Igasaki.

Ata barreled through the streets, his mind completely blank as people screamed as he ran past, their fear from the giants warring in the city making them panic, Ata sure that he had to shove past a few people, getting closer and closer to the titans he watched warring, the blade in the colorful robots hand glowing as Ata closed in, seeing the leg of the massive machine in front of him, his hands pressed against the left leg. He inhaled, channeling all of his strength, overriding his brain's inhibitors and summoning the dark energy that powered his transformation, unleashing a primal roar from the depths of his soul as he jerked his body upwards, hearing the machine creak as it moved, slowly coming off the ground as veins in Ata's arms exploded from the pressure, blood running down his arms under the suit, leaking through the microscopic spaces between the metallic scales, the robot coming off the ground as he turned to his right, throwing everything he had into the movement, tossing the massive robot back, it's attack thrown off and made less fatal.

Ata turned to Raizou, his transformation faded, his body screaming in horrid agony as he watched his teacher shrink down, the wound still gruesome as blood sprayed the buildings across the city, Ata's body fueled by shock and adrenaline to keep going as he ran across many streets, cutting through alleyways to reach his sensei, his bloodied frame visible in a supermarket parking lot, Ata's mind racing as he ran over to him. Ata's phone was in his hand within a moment, instinctually calling his friend as he wordlessly grabbed his teacher, who even now clutched his blades in his hands. "Is everything alright?" Ata heard, his teeth grit as he continued moving. "Bring all of the medical supplies to the cave a mile east of the supermarket. Move as fast as you can!" he shouted, Poe grunting in agreement as Ata slid the phone back in pocket, placing his sensei down in the aforementioned cave.

"Gabi Raizou-sensei, are you all right?" he asked, and the Oni coughed, seeming to be regaining consciousness, Ata placing his shirt over the wound and applying pressure, his own wounds healing much faster, the ruptured veins already repaired by the gauntlet. Raizou laughed, sighing as he let go of his blades, pulling his sheathes from his waist, moving his hands slowly to the shirt attempting to hinder the bleeding. "Sheathe my blades for me." he said weakly, Ata blinking as he complied, the demon swordsman sighing as the blades clicked firmly in their sheathes. "What happened?" Ata asked, and the demon laughed, the volume causing him to cough as Ata cursed, looking to his right hand.

"The Red Boy got me." he said, Ata's fists clenching, the gauntlet surfacing on his flesh in anger, his teeth gnashing together. "Don't be that mad at him. I accepted the loss." he said, breathing heavily. "However, do not forgive that fox. I was ready to die with honor, but he used that damned spell that made me a mindless giant." he said with a cough, slamming his fist against the ground in anger. Ata nodded, inhaling much more calmly. "I understand, Sensei. I swear on my Tribe that I will vanquish that pathetic vermin." he said, and Raizou chuckled. "That's more like it." he said, his eyes looking past Ata to the mouth of the cave. "It seems that a few of my more loyal Jukkarage have arrived to attend the cave." he said, an almost bitter chuckle ringing out.

"Ata! You in here?!" the fighter heard, turning and looking to the mouth of the cave, where Poe was walking in, waving to him. "Back here!" he shouted, and Raizou sighed. "Don't bother Kid, there's no way you can fix this." he said, referring to the wound on his chest, the shirt Ata wore unrecognizable, stained completely from the massive amount of blood that made contact with the fabric. "I have to at least try. Maybe this thing can do something." he said, referring to the gauntlet as Poe arrived, dropping the supplies next to Ata as Raizou looked to him. "Take care of him. If he's anything like I am, that glove will push him as hard as all hell." he said, Poe nodding silently. "The glove won't do anything. If it could, the man I took it from would have remedied his madness." he explained, his eyes fluttering as Ata frowned.

"It's getting a bit cold in here. And I can't taste the blood in my mouth or feel the pain anymore." he said, and Poe sighed, placing a hand on Ata's shoulder. "He's lost a ton of blood and two of his senses are gone. We can't help him." he said, and Ata shoved his friend off. "We have to try!" he shouted, his tone a mixture of grief, denial and anger. "Gabi Raizou-san, did you ever learn the name of the man who had the gauntlet beforehand?" Poe asked, and Raizou nodded. "I did. Rather peculiar fellow. Hell of a fighter." he said, sighing as his breathing slowed down. "Can't smell the cave anymore either. Looks like it's almost time." he said, and Ata grabbed his hand, the Oni looking to him. "Do me a favor Kid. Let my hand go." he said, Ata's face shifting into one of confusion. "We're both warriors. We don't need to be blubbering about each other's deaths like civilians." he said, and Ata blinked, realizing he was right.

Poe turned to the entrance, snickering as he pulled out his axe and rolled his neck. "Someone's attacking us from the outside. I'll try and buy you time to say your goodbyes, but don't miss the chance to fight _with_ me, Brother." he said, slapping Ata's shoulder as he ran towards the entrance, Ata growling as his anger began to mount. "Boy, tell me your full name. I've never heard it before." he said, and Ata nodded. "My name is Te-Ata-O-Tu-Ka-Nguha Nga Rauru Kitahi. My first name means 'The Shadow Belonging to Tu the Fierce Fighter', who is my homeland's primary war god." he said, and Raizou chuckled. "That's a perfect name for someone like you." he said, tilting his head. "Take…. Take my swords with you when you leave." he said, and Ata looked to the blades for a moment, looking back to Raizou, whose eyes had gone foggy, his fourth sense gone as the end of his life neared.

"Leave me here as well. I like it here. It reminds me of the cave I was born in." he said, and Ata grit his teeth, nodding as he tried to suppress his emotions, feeling an awfully large amount of grief and sadness over the dying moments of a demon he met less than a week ago. "Looks like I can't see either. Seems I need to hurry up and get out all of my weighty final words that bards will speak of for eternity." he said, both fighters chuckling. "First, tell the Red Boy that I thank him for taking me down. Being a mindless giant isn't something that would make me or my family proud." he said, and Ata nodded, making a mental note to add Takaharu to his mental list of 'people he will kill'.

"Second, I thank you. You're almost like the brat I never had, but always wanted." he said, his personal touch on a classical, cliché line from a dying teacher causing Ata to laugh as he gripped the Oni's blades in his hands tightly. "I know you have the ability to make that gauntlet yours. The man before you was insane, referring to the gauntlet as the 'Holy Grail' or something else as foolish." he said, and Ata blinked. "The man before me? What was his name?" he asked, Raizou nodding as he remembered that he was supposed to tell Ata before dying. "His name was Galahad, Crusader of the Knights' Templar, and son of Lancelot of the Lake. Does that mean anything to you?" he asked, and Ata shrugged, then remembered that Raizou's sight was gone.

"He's a Knight of the Round Table from the legends and myths of Camelot. In the legends, he was the one that completed King Arthur's quest for the Holy Grail, being chosen by God to receive it and it's blessings." he said, and Raizou chuckled. "Guess he wasn't bullshitting me after all." he said, inhaling deeply. "Now, do me a favor. Be a good student, and a good warrior, and go help your friend. My blades will guide you." he said, and Ata nodded. "Hai, Sensei." he said, the demon smiling. "Ata, you're diss….missed..." he said, slowly as he released his final breath, his body spasming once as his hearing vanished, his bodily functions ceasing as he passed on, his body unable to respond to any of Ata's words or actions.

The Maori cursed as he stood, looking from his dead teacher to the blades in his hands, nodding as he turned. "May Hine and Whiro bless you in the afterlife, Gabi Raizou-sensei." he said, steeling himself as he headed towards the mouth of the cave. _I will end the lives of the Igasaki for this. And Kyuuemon will be eradicated. His soul won't have the chance to try and escape his body, for I will consume him alive for dishonoring my great teacher._ He swore mentally, lifting his hand as he inhaled. _**"Whakaahua."**_ He commanded, the gauntlet throbbing eagerly as the energy blew over his flesh like a gale wind, Ata rolling his neck as he walked from the cave, his eyes scanning the surrounding area.

The Jukkarage in the area, whose numbers seemed to explode, were mostly defeated, Poe being one of the only remaining fighters, his body visibly worn as he stumbled back, his axe in one hand and a Mere in the other. And across from Poe and the final group of Jukkarage was not five, but _seven_ people, all wearing brightly colored suits, each one numbered as Ata stepped forward, noticing that their helmets all had one very distinct feature about them. Not their shape or colors, but the railroad tracks wrapped around the helmets. "Poe! These are the _not so bad_ ToQgers you spoke of?" he asked, and Poe stepped back and looked to him. "I guess they spotted me and followed me. Although, I have no fucking clue why they were in town at all, especially Nadagou." he said, gesturing to the seventh, purple ToQger, Ata nodding as he flexed his right hand, a cloth sash appearing around his waist, Ata placing the sheathes of Gabi Raizou's blades in the sash.

"Do you need a different weapon?" Ata asked, and Poe shook his head. "Not at all. Infact, I won't even need these for a few minutes." he said, slowly placing his weapons down as the last Jukkarage was defeated, all seven of them watching the duo intently. Ata noticed that his friend's hands were quivering, his palms hidden from their view. "This is why I like it when you fight! It makes me want to fight that much more!" he said, his own hands quivering as both of them spread their legs and bent their knees, their hands moving to their hips as they inhaled, both bellowing out a single syllable. Both of them moved in sync, their arms moving out wide before flying down, colliding with their thighs as they began to scream in their native language, the words matching their actions, the duo turning to the left and extending their right arms in the same direction, turning to the right and looking at their right hands, which were now raised and opened.

They turned, lowering their stances ever so slightly as they faced to the left, their right hands right behind their heads, reversing the stance before repeating the pair of movements, their right hands moving to their groin as they shook them with each word, Ata always finding the part where they said 'Puhuru Huru' rather funny, the sequence of motions repeating again as they turned to the left again, quivering their hands behind their head before shifting to the right, their left hand doing the same. They then clapped their left hand on their right forearm and dropped to one knee, slamming their right fists against the ground, grinding and sliding their fists to the left as they swung them out wide, both warriors hopping as they placed their hands back on their hips and screamed, Poe dragging his left thumb across his throat venomously.

"Whoa! Did you guys see that?" The red ToQger said, Ata chuckling as he realized Poe's reasons for thinking he wasn't so bad. "It was just a dance. Don't be swayed by their theatrics. They're still our targets." the green one said, Ata narrowing his eyes slightly as he stepped forward. "Since it seems that you don't understand our culture, let me explain something for you." he said, pointing at the green ToQger, noticing the number on his chest was '4'. "Those 'theatrics' are referred to as a 'Haka', and it's a declaration of what's going to happen in the coming battle." he said, his hands sliding down towards his waist so he could draw his blades as fast as possible. "Really?" the orange one said, Ata able to sense that there was something different about him, his scent and aura starkly inhuman. _Injure Six and Four, try not to injure One. Should be easy enough._ He thought, nodding with a chuckle.

"In the upcoming battle, you will flee with your tail between your legs because I will defeat you. Simple as that." he said, and the purple ToQger laughed, the raspy, airy sound allowing Ata to tell that he was much older than the rest, Ata guessing no younger than his late 40s. _Seven will be easy to deal with since he's already got one foot out the door._ He thought, watching them respond to his words, the blue and pink ToQgers seeming ever so slightly worried. _Two and Five are chickens. Gotta act like the villain they think I am when it comes to them._ He thought, watching as they all pulled out what appeared to be guns, rolling the grips and unfolding the underside of the barrel into a blade, the orange ToQger pulling out a red blade that look like something you'd see at an airport trying to direct planes on the runway, or trains stopped by railroad maintenance.

"So you won't head my warnings, huh?" he asked rhetorically, drawing both blades as Poe stood next to him, his weapons tightly in his grip. "Don't think so. Listening to bad guys was never something we were good at." the red one said, causing Ata to chuckle. Poe leaned closer to him. "Get ready. The Red kid, ToQ Ichigou, is about to give the battle cry." he whispered, and Ata rolled his shoulders, inhaling deeply before breathing out. "Full Speed Ahead!" he called, and Ata clenched his sensei's blades in his hand, ready to allow them to guide him through a battle that he hoped would be relatively simple.

 _Finished! I do hope you enjoyed, and that everything was at the least decently structured. If not, lemme know, since I'm always open to criticism. And once more, if my usage of the Maori language in particular is improper at any point, lemme know please, as that's the one thing I want to make sure is relatively accurate. Thanks for your views, support, and I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF Inc._


	4. Haka 4: Atua Whiowhio Kenga

_How y'all doin? Good I hope. It's Jiro ageen, and this time for Chapter 4! Much like every other chapter. I do hope you enjoy, and have fun, since that's all I could ask for. Thank you for all of your views, support, and please enjoy, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF Inc._

Ata exhaled as they closed in, noticing that numbers 3, 5 and 7 split off, heading directly for Poe while the rest headed for him, Ata's shoulders rolling one last time. He ducked under the blade of the orange one, weaving past the other three and turning as he rose back to his full height, colliding blades with the blue and green ones, noticing the remaining two, clad in red and orange, moved in sync as they jabbed their blades out, Ata releasing his blades as they began to fall to the ground, the green and blue ToQgers stumbling forward as he caught both blades in his hands, shoving them back and dropping down, catching his blades in a reverse grip before they hit the ground, spinning them in his hands and using the blunt edges to trip the two ToQgers, stepping forward and turning as he watched his four opponents all regain their composure.

Ata flipped the blades in his grip, exhaling as he glanced to Poe, who was rather easily holding his own against the trio that attacked him, letting Ata know that the three he fought were the weakest of the septet. Ata stepped back from the blade of the green ToQger, wishing he had a more convenient way of referring to them besides their numbers or colors, his thoughts managing to form clearly despite the fact that he was in battle and rather outnumbered. Ata's left arm swung out, blocking the blue ToQger's blade, his reaction to the attack allowing Ata to know that he was the weak link amongst his opponents, rolling his wrist as he jabbed out his right blade in the blue ToQger's direction, watching him stumble back and trip, Ata's left hand hooking underneath his right to block the green ToQger, Ata rolling his right blade into a mantis like grip as he leaned back and jabbed it out at the red ToQger, who barely weaved around it.

Ata flipped his wrist, returning his right blade to a standard grip as he shoved the green ToQger back, both of his blades colliding with his two remaining foes as he turned. He shoved them back, his left blade coming down in a broad diagonal arc, the orange ToQger blocking it with his blade, allowing his red friend to spin around him and attack Ata from behind, the blade clanging against the scales of his armor as he stumbled forward, his posture wavering as the orange ToQger pulled his blade back suddenly, jabbing Ata in the chest. He stumbled back, sparks flying from the intense force that the blade grinded against his armor with, Ata turning, gripping the blades tightly. He came face to face with the other two ToQgers, the blue and green ones, his blades flipping in his grip instantly as he blocked their blades, once again using the odd mantis grip that he wasn't honestly fond of.

He shoved them back, flipping his blades in his grip and throwing his arms back, as if to sheathe them on his back, the stance allowing him to block the other two ToQgers, noting that they seemed to prefer working in pairs, Ata glancing over to Poe and noticing that the yellow and pink ToQgers preferred to work together, trying to create an opening for their purple friend to strike. Ata inhaled, bending his knees ever so slightly as he jumped and rolled, the spinning, aerial flip allowing him to create space, the foreigner landing with a pair of ToQgers to each side, rather irritated by the fact that he hadn't gotten a single hit in yet, taking a step back and allowing them to regroup into a single line of four, something Ata was waiting for. He slammed his hands together, his balled up fists touching at the knuckle as he swung his blades in a wide, broad, curving arc around and above his head, a gust of wind blowing the quartet back as Ata followed up with a charge, his body almost running on autopilot.

He came down with both blades, striking the blue and green ToQgers in the shoulders, noticing that instead of their suits tearing and blood spraying from their wounds, a cluster of sparks flew and hit the air, making Ata wonder if their suits were honestly made out of fabric like he assumed, watching them stumble back as he spread his arms, turning in a quarter circle and blocking the red ToQger with his left blade, coming down with his right blade and striking his shoulder, spinning and swinging his right blade at a waist high horizontal angle, colliding with the orange ToQger's blade, flipping the left blade into the same mantis grip again, turning and jabbing to his right, his blade grinding against the edge of the blue ToQger's blade, adjusting his grip and clenching his muscles, spinning in a clockwise direction and knocking both men back.

Ata flipped his left blade into a reverse grip, blocking the blade of the green ToQger, leaving his right blade at his side as he leaned forward. "Tell me, who told you to target us?" he asked, and the man in the suit scoffed. "We can feel the evil radiating off of you. It's sickening." he said, and Ata laughed heartily, his right blade jerking forward and striking the ToQger in the left thigh, causing his grip on his blade to waver. "So I sicken you!? That's good! All the more reason for us to fight then!" he shouted as he shoved him back, tossing his blades in the air as he spun, catching the blue and orange ToQgers by the throat, gripping tightly as he bent his knees, rising up and pulling them as they struggled to break free, Ata hopping slightly and falling forward, slamming both men to the ground as he released their throats and rolled as the red ToQger flew overhead shouting, Ata reaching his feet and chuckling.

He came face to face with, as his deceased sensei would have said, the 'Red Boy', pointing up, laughing as the ToQger actually looked up, leaving himself open to a straight right kick in the chest as Ata stepped forward, catching his blades as they fell from the sky, rolling his neck as he looked to Poe, who seemed to have already disabled the pink ToQger, who leaned against a tree clutching her right leg, Ata chuckling at how effective his friend could be when he wanted. Ata spun the blades in his grip, sliding them into their sheathes with a resounding click as he rolled his neck, sighing as he realized that no matter how proficient he was with weapons, he would always be most effective with his bare hands, watching as three of the four men regained their composure, the green ToQger still at least slightly injured to Ata's right. "I'd stay down if I were you," Ata shouted to the green ToQger, inhaling. "You'll be better off than your friends if you did." he finished, flexing his fists.

The blue ToQger came from his left, still wielding his blade as he came own with a rather obvious overhead swing, Ata stepping back and jerking forward, bringing his right elbow down and right knee up, pinching the ToQger's wrist in between the metal covered joints, a crunch and a scream allowing Ata to know that his attack was effective, dropping his knee as he moved his arm in sync, grabbing the injured wrist as he slammed his left hand firmly on his target's chest, releasing his wrist as his body rotated in pursuit, a right kick striking him in the face, causing him to stumble back as Ata continued to rotate until he completely faced his blue foe, dropping down to a crouch and weaving backwards as he avoided the red ToQger.

He rose up, a string of alternating hooks to the boy's midsection striking before a single right palm to the chest sent him flying forward, his kidneys at least slightly damaged as he turned. Ata weaved to his left, noticing that the orange ToQger had discarded his weapon willingly, something he found both odd and interesting. Ata threw a low right hook, striking his foe in the stomach before following up with a flurry of right kicks, his armored shin slamming into the orange clad man's chest repeatedly before Ata rolled, striking him in the face with a left roundhouse kick that knocked him back, spinning when he heard a shout, the blue ToQger throwing a wild right kick that Ata weaved away from, glancing down to his foe's chest to notice that the number on it wasn't '2', but '1'.

Ata growled, his left hand hooking around the color swapped ToQger's left leg as his right hand slammed into his chest as he pushed upward, spinning and slamming the boy to the ground, his grunts of pain lost to Ata's ears as he stood, a dark aura radiating from around him as he grit his teeth under the helmet. "So you fools can change colors to baffle your foes and you chose not to!? Are you taking me lightly!?" he shouted, his anger mounting as he glanced to the ToQger with the '2' on his chest, remembering that Poe referred to them by adding 'Gou' to the end of their number. He rolled his shoulders as he watched them all rise to their feet, their injuries seemingly forgotten, Ata noticing that Poe's almost flesh like jacket was discarded, the duo closing in to each other and bumping fists as Poe handed his weapons to Ata as he reached for his hat.

With their foes standing in a straight line, all in their original colors, Poe bowed his head, his right index finger and thumb touching the tip in the front, his fingers wrapped around the brim to the back as he slowly pulled the hat from his head, his train like mouth contorted in a venomous frown as the hat fell from his hands, a pair of doll black eyes staring back at them before a deep blue began to overtake the dark orbs, as if his eyes were rolling back from in his head. Ata whistled, watching the group all take fighting stances, their weapons also seemingly forgotten, scattered aimlessly across the forest floor as Ata opened his right hand, shadows overcoming Poe's weapons as Ata hummed. "You remember how to fight unarmed?" he asked, and Poe rolled his shoulders, taking a fighting stance Ata hadn't seen in a while.

The septet charged the duo, Ata, shoving both of his palms forward to meet the green and blue ToQgers, who seemed to honestly have it out for him, their previous injuries still apparent to Ata. They stepped back to avoid the large palms, a fast left jab accompanied by a shriek flying past Ata's vision and hearing, the blue ToQger stumbling back, the distraction allowing Ata to throw a hard right cross that struck the green ToQger in the face, knocking him back as Poe rolled around his back to throw both of his arms out, blocking both the yellow and pink ToQgers, Ata effortlessly flipping over his friend and grabbing the two ToQgers by the head, shoving their skulls together as they fell back, Poe dropping down to one knee and shrieking as he slammed his elbows into the stomachs of the purple and red ToQgers, his neck twitching as he threw his bent arms up and slammed the back of his fists into their chests and knocking them back.

Ata laughed at how useless he felt, watching Poe stand and spin, glancing back to him. The duo nodded as Poe weaved to his right, avoiding a right cross from the orange ToQger, his left leg shooting out and hooking the orange ToQger's right, causing his posture to waver as Poe rolled over his back and shoved him in a fluid motion, sending him stumbling into Ata's extended right heel, the intense kick sending him spiraling back to Poe, who kicked him in the stomach to keel him over, hooking his arms and pulling him closer before jumping and falling back, slamming his body face first to the ground as he stepped back, the duo looking to each other and laughing, rather enjoying themselves. However, their hearty celebration was very short lived, as Poe stumbled forward, sparks flying from his back as Ata saw a pink ToQger wielding an unusual claw weapon, a '1' visible on his chest.

Ata caught Poe as he stumbled forward. "Still want me to leave him because he's 'not a bad kid'?" Ata whispered to his friend, who grunted as Ata helped him back to a standing position. He shook his head, Ata opening his hand and summoning Poe's weapons wordlessly as his friend spoke. "Hell no. Fuck them all up as badly as necessary." he said, angered by the fact that someone he gave the benefit of the doubt would dare attack him from behind. Ata laughed as he drew Gabi Raizou's blades, noticing that the ToQgers had all gotten up, swapped colors, and pulled out, somehow, another group of more unique weapons. "Just add 'Gou' to their number to identify them regardless of color, right?" he asked, and Poe nodded. "Just be careful of the red one's weapon. The 'Rail Slasher' sword can shoot railroad tracks like rope to bind targets." he said, and Ata nodded as they rolled, standing back to back.

They all closed in at once, Ata dealing with the yellow and pink ToQgers first, noting that regardless of color, these two still had skirts on their outfits, letting him know they were the females of the group. He turned to his right, exhaling as he weaved past the large, yellow hammer, using the pommel of the katana to jab the yellow ToQger in the back of the head, his left blade coming straight up, Ata's left arm extended out completely as he hooked the weirdly shaped claw and pulled it from the Pink ToQger's hands, spinning and slashing across her chest, the odd material the suits were made of not breaking, sparks merely flying as if he was grinding blades with a challenging foe. Ata cursed, jumping back as projectiles struck the ground and trees where he stood, the blue ToQger, who still had his original number, rather agitating Ata.

Ata stepped back again, his agitation mounting at the fact that he couldn't get to 'Nigou', who seemed to have fled to the bushes somewhere to try and shoot him, likely from behind. Instead, Ata had 'Ichigou' in front of him, noticing that none of the ToQgers that were sticking around him were shifting colors. Ata's left blade came down in a diagonal arc, colliding with the 'Rail Slasher', as Poe had called it, Ata pushing himself back, shoving Ichigou back, watching 'Yongou' crash down in the space between them, the large, dual bladed axe in his hands the first thing Ata noticed. He jabbed forward, the red blade blocking him and protecting the green ToQger, Ata's free left blade swinging behind him as his body rotated in a counter clockwise direction, blocking the red blade of ToQ 'Rokugou', noticing that his helmet was slightly different, and that he had yet to switch colors, Ata theorizing that he honestly couldn't.

The green ToQger rolled around, the axe crashing into Ata's back and shoving him forward, the fighter thankful for how sturdy his own armor was. When he turned, he brought both of his blades up to block the large axe, noting that it was as heavy as it was large, a pair of blades jabbing him in the stomach and knocking him back again, the red ToQger following up with a flurry of jabs, his swordplay extremely reminiscent of fencing, something that seemed uncharacteristic of the childish boy, Ata bringing his right blade up to knock the blade and the arm holding it upwards, noticing that the number on his chest was '4' instead of '1'. _So they switched after all._ He thought, jabbing his left blade forward, following up with a hard downward right slash, knocking Yongou back, grunting as even more projectiles flew in his direction, this time striking him.

When Ata stumbled away from the projectile spray, he came back to back with Poe, who seemed to be having a rather hard time as well. "Manage to injure anybody?" he asked, and Poe grunted. "I can barely close in with Nadagou's boorish attitude and the range of Sangou's weapon. The speed of Gogou is also a bitch to deal with." He said, and Ata sighed as he shook his head. "Wear them down. I'll see if I can think of something, since I think best while fighting." he said, and Poe nodded as they moved forward, Ata colliding blades with Rokugou and Yongou, who was still donning the red suit, noticing Ichigou approaching from behind his teammates, somehow donning the pink suit. Ata spread his arms, stepping forward and shoving, both swordsmen knocked back as Ata met Ichigou with a dual bladed block, rotating in a clockwise quarter circle and tossing him back, noticing that Yongou was now yellow.

Ata jumped back, realizing that there was no way he could combat the massive hammer Yongou currently wielded with a pair of blades, sheathing them and flexing his right hand, the sash and blades vanishing to who knows where, Ata sidestepping a hard swing of the hammer, grabbing the long handle with his left arm and tugging Yongou closer, a stiff right lariat knocking him off his feet, Ata turning in a counter clockwise quarter circle and catching Rokugou's oddly round blade, tugging it from his grip and casting it randomly into the forest with his left hand while blocking the orange ToQger's follow up kick with his right. He shoved his foe's leg down, turning back with a left elbow that struck Rokugou in the head, causing him to stumble long enough for Ata to notice Ichigou coming at him from the left, his stance changing to react.

However, yet another flurry of projectiles struck him, knocking his reflexes off kilter for a long enough period of time to allow Ichigou to strike him with the claw, noticing that his speed and flexibility seemed increased, almost as if each different color suit had it's own strengths, another claw strike to his chest causing him to take another step back, watching his foe take a step back instead of following up, momentarily wondering why before the Signal Hammer slammed into his back, sending him flying forward. He hit the ground and rolled, sliding back, his anger at the hidden, projectile using ToQger beginning to boil over, the dark aura returning around him as he inhaled. He rolled his shoulders, extending his arms and balling his fists, his left leg coming up slightly. He exhaled, analyzing the situation around him.

Poe was currently fighting San, Go and Nadagou, who were wearing the green, red and purple suits. He was fighting Ichi, Yon and Rokugou, who currently had the pink, yellow and orange suits, with Nigou hidden with the blue suit and it's projectile weapon. _I have to draw the blue one out somehow._ He thought, noticing that while thinking, Ichigou had closed in, the claw mere inches from his chin. Ata leaned back, jerking forward with a right elbow that struck his foe in the skull, Ata following up with a spinning back elbow that also found easy purchase, his body twisting slightly as he crouched down, a quick flurry of bodyblows being followed up by a fast, stiff right hook that knocked Ichigou to the ground almost instantly. _Until then, I just have to injure whoever I can, however._

Ata stepped forward, watching Rokugou throw a right cross, slapping his hand away with his left, an overhand right striking him in the face, Ata following up with a left uppercut to the chest, whirling around and lifting Rokugou, slamming him down and narrowing his eyes. _I'm slamming his friend to the ground. Why doesn't he shoot me?_ Ata wondered, turning and rising as he caught the Signal Hammer in his hands, glancing back and noticing that the projectiles seemed to be shot more in Poe's direction, as if Nigou's primary focus was protecting that group. Ata narrowed his eyes. _He's protect_ _ing_ _one of them, but which one?_ He wondered, tugging the large hammer from Yongou's grip, loosing it before catching it by the handle as it flew over his head, coming down as hard as he could.

Yongou leaped back, the distance allowing Ata to survey his friend's battle for a moment, noticing that most of the shots fired from the shadows, regardless of what direction, were to primarily protect Sangou, who was currently in the green suit. _Found her._ Ata thought, exhaling as he stepped back from a left bicycle kick from Yongou, swinging the large hammer in his grip and striking Yongou in the back, purposefully trying to make the blow hurt without disabling or killing him, Ata putting his own fun above all else. He jumped, only just noticing that he had moved up a hill, crashing to the leaf covered ground again, twigs and leaves cracking from the force of his landing as he ran in Poe's direction, Ichigou and Rokugou right behind him.

Poe noticed his friend approaching, and the two men behind him, chuckling as he ducked under the Tunnel Axe, coming down in a narrow arc from left to right with his own axe, striking Sangou in the shoulder and knocking her forward, a flurry of projectiles striking him from the left, causing him to snicker once more. He stepped back from Nadagou's sword, exhaling as he watched Ata jab the man in the side with the top of the Signal Hammer, shoving both Nadagou and the hammer off to Poe's left as the duo came face to face, Ata drawing his blades once more. "Nigou's primary charge is Sangou. Seems he's infatuated with her." Ata noted, speaking in Maori so that the ToQgers couldn't understand him. Poe blinked, sighing. "I remember reading that those two got together. Can't believe I forgot." he said, causing Ata to chuckle, swinging the blades behind his head.

He collided blades with both Ichigou and Rokugou, gripping them tighter and pulling his arms back, pushing them away. "Go after Nigou. I'll handle the rest as best as I can." he said, Poe ducking underneath the Rail Slasher and vanishing into the forest, off to complete his task. Ata rolled his shoulders and neck as the ToQgers slowly surrounded him, the fighter watching carefully as they all swapped colors again, this time retuning to their original colors. _So they acknowledge that their standard forms are the best to fight with, huh?_ _Guess they might start taking this seriously after all._ Ata thought, knowing full well that both he and the ToQgers were still holding back, each of them brandishing their weapons as they charged Ata in sync, the Maori whistling as he gripped his blades tighter.

Unsurprisingly, Ichigou reached him first, Ata spinning to meet the red suited fellow with both of his blades, a dual bladed block stopping his overhead slash, shoving him back as he turned in a half counterclockwise circle to meet Yongou, stepping to the left to avoid the Tunnel Axe, both Rokugou and Gogou striking him in the back, sending him stumbling forward into Sangou, who struck him in the chest with the Signal Hammer, causing him to slide back, where he noticed Nadagou waiting for him, this fact causing Ata to chuckle as he flexed the muscles in his legs to stop his movement, quickly bending his knees and flipping backwards, his left foot striking Nadagou in the left side of the chest, Ata grunting as he landed on his right foot, dragging his left foot from Nadagou's grounded body.

Ata noticed that the projectiles had ceased, letting Ata know that he had at the least found the missing ToQger, Ata's worries eased as he ran forward, colliding his blades with the Tunnel Axe, Ata noticing Sangou approaching from the right side of his vision, stepping to the side without pulling his blades away, the green ToQger's weapon coming down just enough to block the Signal Hammer, which crashed into the axe and caused Yongou to stumble to his left, Ata pulling his blades back and turning to jab the green suited fellow in the chest, jumping back from the Signal Hammer. He was struck in the chest, noticing that Gogou somehow struck him from above, the pink ToQger rather agitating him as he stepped back, Rokugou's blade crashing into him again.

Ata stumbled forward into the Signal Hammer, the strike knocking him off his feet, sending him flying back, Nadagou and Ichigou following after him and striking him in the chest, Ata grunting as he crashed into the ground, rolling and rising to his feet in a fluid motion, a bright flash distracting him for a few seconds, his attention partially diverted as Poe came flying through, the trees, Ata catching his friend, who seemed rather injured, burn marks scattered across his body. Ata's anger returned, his emotions in constant flux while in battle, the dark aura once more surrounding him as he looked to the ToQgers, finally seeing ToQ Nigou show himself, a gold train adorning his shoulders and an odd train themed cannon in his hands. "Are you alright?" He asked Poe, who cough and grunted. "Bastard really went Hyper on me." He said, grunting as he pushed himself off Ata, grunting as he wobbled.

"So you're going to use Hyper Ressha against a mere Kurou? It looks like you've gotten soft, Nigou." he said, his taunting actions confusing Ata. "Say that again! A little closer next time!" he shouted, Ata noticing a slight quiver in his voice. Ata took a step forward, Poe taking two steps forward and putting his arm out. He turned to Ata with an eerie, cheshire smile. "I've got a good idea. Just follow my lead." he whispered, and Ata nodded, gripping his blades tighter as Poe rolled his neck, wincing in pain. "I said that you had to use Hyper Ressha on a _Kurou_. Some ToQger you are. You must have women flocking to you, right girls?" Poe asked, directing the question at Sangou and Gogou, who seemed rather taken aback by the question. Nigou growled, stomping his feet like an angered child.

"Enough of this! Guys, let's finish them!" he said, the rest merely nodding and pulling small trains from only Tu knows where and setting them in the odd, asterisk shaped cannon. Nigou grabbed the trigger and pulled it back, Ata watching it cock forward as the larger train in the center rotated. He cursed, looking to Poe as the trigger was cocked a second time. "You're trying to goad them into a finishing move? Are you _insane?_ " he asked, the train rotating for a third time. Poe chuckled. "If you can't take a projectile finisher, what makes you think that you'll be able to take the individual finishing moves of each and every Ninninger?" he asked, the fourth rotation completed. Ata grit his teeth, sighing as the fifth rotation was complete, Ata's brain tuning out their war cry as the trigger was pulled, his body acting on instinct. He shoved Poe back, sheathing his swords and summoning his shield in a single, swift motion, summoning the dark energy surrounding him to aid in his defense.

His feet dug into the ground as he was pushed back, Poe looking to his friend as he frowned. Ata tried to summon more energy, but he was still rather weakened from tossing the Igasaki's giant robot, something a ninja honestly should not have. He tried to summon air, or more precisely, wind, to aid him, hoping that his recent ability to manipulate said element would come in handy. However, nothing changed, and his shield cracked, Ata silently hoping it could be repaired by recharging his energy. The shield cracked further, and Ata looked to Poe, shifting his grip on the shield to a two handed one. "Move out of the way. I can't hold this shit back forever." he said, his friend nodding as he jumped to the left, Ata's shield shattering as the train and the surrounding energy struck him in the chest, driving him back and through the forest.

Ata grunted as he easily tore through many trees, his eyes focusing forward, slightly saddened by the needless destruction of such beautiful objects, their inanimate lives ended far too early for no reason. Ata hit the ground, grinding against the dirt and leaves as he rolled repeatedly, the train that struck him simply vanishing. Ata cursed as he rolled to his back, his eyes glancing up at the sky as he tried to stand, grunting at the amount of pain he was in. _I can't let myself get beaten like this._ He said, hearing metallic clanging, realizing that he still had Gabi Raizou's swords on his waist, sighing as he pushed himself to a vertical position, his knees buckling as he looked back to the sky, chuckling as he closed his eyes. He turned to the demolished trees, his sadness adding to his anger at the situation, looking to the sky and rolling his likely dislocated shoulder.

 _I know we don't talk often, but I hope you're listening._ He said, always treating prayer as a casual conversation. _But this time, I need to ask you for something. I need you to give me the strength to at least save my brother. Can you help me out just this once, Rangi? Help me be effortlessly strong, like you… or like Gabi Raizou._ He asked mentally, wondering if the Maori Sky Father could honestly hear him, lifting his arm and reaching towards the sky, his hand covering the sun, casting shadows over his body, causing him to hesitate as he noticed that the gem in the back of the gauntlet was now green, the color having shifted, a strong wind blowing past Ata, making him wonder if the god really _did_ hear him, his next thought being how to draw out this green gem's power.

He turned, walking towards the forest, hearing the clanging of Gabi Raizou's blades on his hip as he spread his arms, inhaling and closing his eyes. _Since I don't pray to the same god twice in a row, I guess that you'll have to help me out._ He said mentally, stopping before a fallen tree and kneeling, rubbing his hand across the cold wood. _Could you perhaps give me a hint on how to use Rangi's blessing? He is your father after all, Tane._ He said, as if trying to goad the Forest God into aiding him, his eyes looking to a standing tree, the leaves having begun to transform color, Ata narrowing his eyes at that thought. He stood, reaching to his waist and touching the hilts of Gabi Raizou's blades as he stepped over the fallen tree, exhaling.

 _You said your blades would guide me, Gabi Raizou-sensei. I was wondering what you meant by that, and now I understand._ He said, moving his hands from the blades and placing it in front of him, his thoughts locked firmly on his deceased teacher, reminding himself that the demon swordsman was akin to a samurai, his undying honor something that Ata will always remember, the fighter having sworn an oath to undo the Fox for his dishonorable actions, Ata feeling the wind around him as he combined all of his thoughts. Of the wind, the changing leaves, and of his Oni teacher. He silently prayed to Tumatauenga, opening his palm and inhaling. _**"Pumotu Whakaahua, Rangi Samurai."**_ He said, calling for a different form, the gauntlet pulsating as leaves began to lift off of the ground, the scales of his armor increasing in size and thickness as they began to combine, large, three layered plates of armor on his hips and shoulders.

His remaining armor almost peeled away to a black fabric, his left arm covered in green metal, the color a slightly darker shade that was also on his armored boots and shins, his chest armor thickened ever so slightly as his helmet morphed, the sides extending outwards more than before, a crest in the shape of a U forming on his head before curving inward and falling back, giving his helmet the appearance of an Oni, his helmet's face shifting, the maw becoming sharper as his eyes slanted slightly and began to glow a bright green instead of their usual white. Ata drew his blades and exhaled. "Feels like I can reach greater heights now." He said, chuckling as he called the wind to him, his feet coming off the ground as he accelerated at a much faster pace than he would have on foot. _Hang on for just a second longer Poe._

Poe leaped back, panting and exhaling, clenching his fists in anger. "Come on!" he screamed, the weapon baring Sentai charging Poe, whose weapons had been knocked away from him, Poe thankful for their single file charge, their habit of charging like a train allowing Poe to deal with them much easier. First, he shoved the Rail Slasher away with his left hand, leaning forward and striking Ichigou with a string of right backfists, shoving him aside. Second, he caught Nigou by the wrist, tightening his grip and pulling him forward into a hard left knee, casting him aside with a left elbow that left Sangou at a fourty five degree angle to his right. The Signal Hammer came down, Poe spinning in a clockwise half circle to weave away from it, stomping the handle.

Third, he used his free left leg to kick Sangou in the right shoulder, catching her around the waist and lifting her up by flipping her, stepping back and dropping her, all of the force on her neck, Poe chuckling at how perfectly he emulated one of the many moves he'd seen glancing at the TV while Ata was recovering from fights. Fourth, he caught the Tunnel Axe in his palms, leaning back and extending his right leg, sweeping Yongou's feet from under him and casting the axe off into the bushes. He grabbed Yongou by his right shoulder and left thigh, picking him up and grunting, not used to carrying entire people. Fifth, he jabbed the ToQger in his hands out, striking Gogou in the chest before throwing Yongou onto his shoulders.

He turned to his right, casting Yongou from his shoulders as he crashed into a tree. Sixth, Poe whirled around Rokugou, noticing that he had already discarded his weapon, Poe grabbing his outstretched arm with his right and striking with a flurry of right kicks to the chest before simply casting him to the side with a spin and a tug. He came face to face with Nadagou, who seemed genuinely worried about facing the insanely skilled Kurou, who merely held up his hand before placing the tips of his fingers against the man's purple suited chest. Poe's body clenched, his fingers retracting as he balled his right fist and shrieked, slamming it into the man's frame with surprising force, sending him flying back. Poe rolled his shoulders and exhaled, not letting his guard down.

Suddenly, a flash of light came from his left, and railroad tracks appeared, wrapping around his frame tightly and holding him still. "Guys, now!" Nadagou screamed as he stumbled up, the group coming together and grabbing their weapons. Poe snickered as he watched them form their Linkup Bazooka, Rokugou loading the Drill Ressha into his weapon and pointing it in his direction. "Rather sad to see the ToQgers pulling out team finishers for a singular Kurou. You guys must've gotten really rusty over the last year, huh? Especially when you realized how many other super suited fuckers are doing your job for you." he said, able to sense anger in their voices as they screamed, launching a pair of projectiles at Poe, who realized that they would reach him in under a second. He inhaled, and closed his eyes.

However, a strong gust of wind blew by, and when Poe opened his eyes, his jaw went slack. "I hope you weren't praying. That'd make me look bad, Pokere." he said, and Poe sighed as he looked to the shinning, green armor. "Who are you?" Nadagou asked, Ata smiling as he was able to see visible worry on their faces. "I am the man that the great Sky Father chose to bless," he began, pointing his right blade at the sky. "The warrior awoken by the Forest God," he continued, pointing his left blade at the ground. "And most importantly, the student who follows in the steps of his teacher." He said, pointing both blades forward. "This shimmering emerald form is called the Rangi Samurai, and I am called..." Ata trailed off, chuckling to himself as he rolled his neck and lowered his stance, his right blade held high above his head. "I am called… A Kamen Rider."

Out of everyone present, Poe seemed the most taken aback by Ata's declaration, the ToQgers hesitating as they chose to abandon their combined weapon and charge him empty handed. "I will end up killing one of you if you don't retreat. This form's power is spiking far beyond what I expected." Ata warned, swinging his blades inward in broad, horizontal arcs, the wind surrounding him sharpened as it struck the ToQgers, knocking all of them back. Ata narrowed his eyes, a smile on his face beneath the helmet as an actual idea popped up in his head. "If you continue to target me and Poe, know this." Ata said, jabbing his blades in the ground and inhaling. "I will be glad to fight you, and even more glad to lose to you. Because if being wounded gave me this form, imagine what a decisive loss could do." he said with a chuckle.

He twisted the blades in his grip, lightning surrounding them as he began to move his arms in a circle, the ToQgers all seeing a green moon appear behind him, the optical illusion distracting them from Ata's attack. " _Garyudo:_ " he began, his voice gravelly and tongue rolling the R, much like his sensei would. " _Raigen Giri!_ " he shouted, loosing the four blades of lighting energy in two swift, fluid motions, watching the ToQgers call out as the area around them seemed to explode, Ata's eyes locked firmly on the ground, and on his blades. Suddenly, his entire body throbbed, and he fell to one knee, his grip on his blades becoming shaky. _So the vast power boost and recharged stamina weren't a freebie, huh?_ He asked, feeling Poe come over to him, having escaped his bindings and gathered up his weapons. "Ata, we should get out of here." Poe whispered, and the samurai chuckled.

"I guess you're right. I'm completely wiped out." he said, his vision beginning to blur as Poe nodded. "You aren't going anywhere, demon!" Ata heard, glancing up to see Nadagou come down with the Rail Slasher, Poe putting his arm up to block the blade, calling out as his arm was cut nearly to the bone, the Kurou falling forward as he blood splash Ata in the face, his helmet's vision blurred by the blood, Ata's heart throbbing a single time before adrenaline and anger forced him to move one more time, jabbing his helmet's dual pointed crest forward and piercing Nadagou's stomach, a bloodcurdling cry reaching his ears as he reached a vertical position, the rest of the ToQgers gasping in fear and horror.

"Stop it! Put him down!" Ichigou screamed, and Ata tightened his grip on his right blade, sheathing the left as he dropped to a crouch before vaulting up, the purple ToQger flying from his horns, Ata swinging his blade a single time, fluidly rolling the blade and sheathing it as he landed, turning to Poe and helping him to a vertical position. "Consider this your final warning. I am deathly serious. I welcome the challenge, but if you get in my way of fulfilling my promise, I will eliminate you, and then keep your head as a trophy." He said, beginning to leave with Poe. The ToQgers began to move, but Nadagou's fearful, bloodcurdling screech of pain hit their ears first, the six ToQgers turning in awe to see Nadagou's right arm severed halfway through the elbow, the other half laying a couple yards away.

When the duo made it back home, Ata placed Poe carefully on the couch before simply collapsing to the floor, his transformation fading as soon as he entered the building. Poe grunted as he rolled to his back, both warriors looking to the ceiling. "Did we really just go toe-to-toe with a Sentai?" Poe asked, and Ata chuckled, his body near numb and his vision still slightly blurred. "I would expect to, but you? I'm very impressed." he said, and Poe chuckled as he sat up, ignoring how sore his body was as he stood, limping over to the kitchen and opening a drawer, where he kept a first aid kit. "You do realize that we have to get out of the city, right?" Poe asked as he pulled out a roll of bandages, causing Ata to grunt as he moved to sitting on the couch. He sighed as he opened his right hand, summoning Poe's discarded jacket and hat.

"I do. As much as I love fighting, nothing beats one on one. Thirteen on two? Not my favorite thing." he said, the Kurou grunting in agreement as he bandaged his arm. "Although, you calling yourself a Kamen Rider was rather unexpected. I thought you said that you wanted one's blessing before throwing that name around?" Poe wondered, and Ata laughed. "This'll be more interesting. Maybe the name will draw people to me. Besides, Rangi blessed me with a new form and Tane cosigned his father, so I don't need some random asian dude to validate myself. Although, you gotta help me with all the cliché stuff Kamen Riders have. Catchphrases, shared signature moves, the whole nine yards." he said, and Poe chuckled, nodding in agreement.

Ata rolled his neck as the two ate dinner that night, both fully aware that it would be the last night they spent here, at least for a while. "So, when we leave, what will happen to this place?" he asked, and the Kurou chuckled. "Actually, this place has been paid up for the next few years. I'll call one of my friends to keep watch incase someone shows up suspecting that you're the Sentai thrashing black knight turned emerald wind samurai Kamen Rider." he said, and Ata chuckled in intrigue. "So if another Sentai appears, your friend will have the ability to stop them?" he asked, and Poe chuckled. "At the least, it'll help remove suspicion." he said, causing Ata to sigh. "You'll have to explain everything to me one day." he said, and Poe rose a brow. "Will I?"

"Say Poe. Do you feel bad about what happened today? I mean, you used to think that ToQ Ichigou wasn't a bad kid, and now look." he noted, and Poe sighed, shaking his head. "He's honestly not, but to attack us, to attack you, while Gabi Raizou was dying? That's unacceptable, and I want to figure out why they attacked us." he said, and Ata nodded, grunting as he shifted on the couch. "Yongou mentioned that we were 'targets', as if the Rainbow Line or someone put them up to it." he said, and Poe nodded with a hum. "Unless that dark colored energy source you have registered as darkness on their sensors, I think we can rule them out, especially since I've been in Japan peacefully for a while now. And as for someone using them as glorified hitmen, I couldn't think of anyone besides maybe Kyuuemon." he said, and Ata blinked, a realization coming over him.

"Fucking hell." he cursed, and Poe tilted his head slightly. "Kyuuemon knows that I'm the aforementioned Sentai trashing Kamen Rider. He's literally one bullshit appearance away from both the Ninningers _and_ the ToQgers figuring out my identity." he said, and Poe held up a hand. "Kyuuemon won't say a thing. I'll make sure of it." he said, and Ata chuckled. "You don't need to do anything actually. As much as I'd like to keep my identity a secret, I doubt the ToQgers are in good enough condition to chase me, and the same goes for the Ninningers. They aren't 100%, and if they leave, this city will go to shit because of the Yokai. So if I leave, it won't matter until I return, and by then, I'd hope that both of us are at our peak, so I can defeat them without a single worry or regret on my mind." he explained. Poe grunted.

"That's fine, but my primary concern isn't the Ninningers learning your identity, it's the ToQgers. They can travel at an extremely effective pace, so if they decided to go around blurting out your identity, you'd have almost an entire army of super suited pains in the ass to deal with." he said, and Ata shrugged, grunting at the movement, his left shoulder bugging him a bit more. "Bring em on. I'll fight them and talk to them. I'm sure they'll acknowledge that I was in the right, merely defending my friend and my teacher's resting place from attackers who didn't give me a single reason why they appeared." he said, Poe noticing that Ata was bringing up a good point, since the gauntlet bearing Kamen Rider had yet to do anything genuinely evil.

That night on the Red Ressha, the ToQgers all merely sat, unable to completely react to what happened. The Rainbow Line had sent an emergency train to pick up both the Conductor, and Wagon, who accompanied him. None of the Rainbow Line employees, or the president of the organization said a word to them, the group's failure surmounted by the disappointment they felt in themselves. "How did we lose?" Mio asked, the yellow ToQger tired of the silence. "I have no idea. It was just one man and one Kurou. How did they get so strong?" Hikari wondered aloud, the green ToQger rather frustrated, since he was the one that spotted a Kurou walking casually through the streets.

"Isn't there another Sentai in this city? Should we tell them about this?" Tokkachi asked, the blue ToQger sparking a fire in his red friend's eyes. "Yeah! We should tell them what happened and get them on our side!" he shouted, a smile on his face as the sextet all agreed that gathering more allies was most important at the moment, departing off the train in a single file line. Once off the train, they hesitated. "How do we find them?" Kagura asked, the pink ToQger seeming rather confused. Akira frowned, something that wasn't unusual, and folded his arms. "Maybe we should have thought this through." he noted, and the red ToQger shook his head. He would find them one way or another. It might take him a while, but he knew that what they needed most, was more allies.

The next morning, the ToQgers had somehow discovered the Igasaki dojo, something that caught everybody involved by surprise, the train Sentai being escorted into the dojo by Tsumuji, the six ninja all looking to them in surprise. "Who are you guys?" Fuuka asked, and Right smiled, his friendly air causing them to relax. "I'm Right, and we're the ToQgers." he said rather plainly, Kasumi narrowing her eyes slightly. "ToQgers?" she asked, and Hikari nodded. "We're a Sentai that travels in trains and defeats Shadows to vanquish darkness. Cheesy as that sounds, it's what led us here." he said, and Nagi seemed rather nervous. "Are there any of these Shadow things in town?" he asked, and Hikari chuckled, the group letting the green ToQger do the bulk of the talking.

"Something much worse actually. In town, or at least around town, is someone who was capable of standing toe-to-toe with all seven of us. And what makes it worse is that his Kurou friend could to." he said, and Yakumo frowned, his arms folded. "Seven? There's only six of you here." he noted, and Mio seemed upset by this statement, Hikari placing a hand on her shoulder and shaking his head. "Incase you need to know. Kurous seem to be to us what the Jukkarage are to you. So for one to be well trained enough to face seven ToQgers is rather unusual and dangerous." he noted, and Takaharu smiled, an almost jovial laugh resounding though the room. "And since these guys are so good, you want our help, right?" he asked, and Right smiled, the two red suited fellows rather similar.

"See! I told you they'd understand!" he shouted, and Kinji seemed unconvinced, something from their story missing. "This guy, who has this Kurou thing as a friend, what about him?" he asked, and Hikari shook his head. "He's demonic. He wears a suit of armor that's completely black, and some form of dark energy that seems to be different from the darkness we're used to. However, after we thought we beat him and got rid of him, he came back even stronger in another form, this one emerald colored samurai armor. Either that or he had another black armored teacher in the area we didn't notice. The samurai was very blunt and overwhelming, while the black one was almost distracted and lighthearted." he explained, shaking his head.

"The first one, the black armored demon, who looks like a knight, is incredibly skilled, and has the hand to hand combat skills to overwhelm seven armed ToQgers with ease, and his weapon proficiency, be it with a European sword, a shield, or even a pair of samurai blades, is also incredible. But what makes him the most dangerous is that he liked the fight. The Kurou too. Both of them were outnumbered and outgunned but they still came at us with blazing fists and huge smiles. We just want you to know this so that you can back out if it sounds like too much for you." he explained, and Yakumo snickered. "So you guys lost, and think that we're going to magickally help you defeat them?" he asked, and Akira stepped forward and nodded. "Of course. In return, we will aid you in fighting any evil in this city." he said, and the ninjas all began to look amongst each other.

When Ata awoke, he noticed that his body wasn't as sore, appreciative of the gauntlet's incredible healing abilities. He sat up, grunting at the crackling noises that came from his neck and back as he flexed his body about to shake off his drowsiness. He stood, one final roll of his shoulders freeing him of any cramps as he grumbled, glancing through his closet, narrowing his eyes at how empty it was. Deciding on the odd shirt with the belt design near the waist and the only pair of jeans left in the closet, he grumbled as he walked from his room, immediately able to see that his shelf was empty, all of his precious weapons completely gone. He stomped down the hall, seeing that everything was perfectly clean and neat, and free of any personal effects. Ata grit his teeth, walking from the emptied apartment.

When he made it outside, he hesitated. "Poe. Where did you get that?" he asked, the Kurou humming, as if oblivious. Ata rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn't dreaming or hallucinating. The object in question was a dull gray color, a single black stripe going across it horizontally, stretching it's entire fourty foot length. "I know I said I wanted to go on a road trip, but you didn't have to get a damn RV. How are we going to lay low in something this massive?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "Simple. Park it in the woods or something. Look at the tires." he said, and Ata noticed the rather thick tires, the words 'Heavy Duty' apparent across the rubber. "And you can drive this thing?" he asked, and Poe shook his head. "Hell no. Wouldn't trust myself behind the wheel of a large SUV. Drive this thing? Fat chance." he said, and Ata grunted. "So how are we gonna get around?"

"That would be my job." Ata heard, tilting his head as he glanced to the open door of the motor vehicle. "Kentaro? You can drive this thing?" he asked, and he nodded. "Yup. Learned how to a while ago since I like the idea of packing up and just going." he said, something Ata could at least relate to. "Did Poe explain anything to you?" he asked, and the Yakuza nodded. "Yup. Sounds batshit crazy, but since you're my friend, I decided to help out. Besides, if I get to travel with someone calling themselves a Kamen Rider, that'll be something I can rub in the boys' faces when I get back." he said, and Ata laughed, walking over and patting the man on the shoulder.

He turned back to Poe, exhaling. "Where is everything from my shelf?" he asked, and Poe jabbed his head. "Inside, straight into the back where the room is. Used the TV stand in there to set them up, so don't worry." he said, causing Ata to breathe a sigh of relief, happy that his most prized possessions weren't damaged or stolen. "So, is your friend going to show up and send us off, or is he going to show up after the fact?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "Probably after. Have you even decided where you want to go anyway?" he asked. Kentaro chimed in, trying to make sure he wasn't forgotten. "If you want to stray from Kamen Riders and Sentais, I would recommend avoiding Tokyo at all costs. The city's so important it's like a hotspot for them." he explained, and Ata hummed.

Where did he want to go? He was about to go on a road tip, and he hadn't the faintest clue where he wanted to go. Then again, the chance to meet more people to fight is rather interesting to him. "I got it!" he said in a breakthrough, pointing to Poe. "You decide where we're going at all the time, and I'll fight Kamen Riders we run into on the way. Although, I might need a little help with those agitating Sentais." he said, rubbing his chin in thought, Poe laughing as he gestured to the entrance to the RV. "It would be my honor to assist you in combating them." he said, Kentaro entering the vehicle first, as he was the driver. Ata stepped aboard next, whistling at how well done the interior was, granite countertops and a granite table, cabinets and drawers that smelt like lemon and cedar wood, the seating around the granite table made with leather, Ata's favorite thing being exactly how much room their was, the tall man not having to crouch or duck down to move about, something he found rather pleasant.

Ata took a seat on the comfortable leather booth, exhaling as he cracked his neck. "So, where to first O Great Navigator?" he asked, and Poe hummed, taking the seat next to Kentaro. "I'm not sure. If I were to go somewhere that would benefit me, it would probably be Ama-No-Gawa." he said, and Kentaro rose a brow. "Ama-No-Gawa? The city made by that astronaut?" he asked curiously, and Poe chuckled as he nodded. "Precisely. You see, the fluctuation of various energy sources always got Baron Nero's attention, and he mentioned Ama-No-Gawa to me back in the day because of it's Cosmic Energy. I can go hunting for stray 'Switches', perhaps to recruit more people to our side. And of course, Ata can also go around doing as he pleases. If the information I have is correct, there are two Kamen Riders in the area and multiple Sentai aware of this." he said, and Kentaro chuckled.

"Y'know, since I'm gonna be the wheelman for your crazy, probably unbelievable antics, you can at least tell me where you get your info from." he said, and Poe shrugged. "Multiple places. Firstly, my own research and speculation. And when I'm too impatient to do my own work, I contact other monsters like me. Strays that weren't defeated by their species' nemesis. Some of us just prey on humans in silence, like Mirror Monsters, but others, like Mooks and Phantoms, simply blend in and give up. Of course, this opens up the door for me to wonder if these monsters can interbreed with humans and produce hybrids, but that's another situation." he said, and Kentaro grunted.

"So you're saying that monsters have survived since the beginning? And that all of them have made an underground network of information that'd keep them alive?" he asked, and Poe nodded. "Of course. However, with the good monsters like me come evil monsters, as expected. There is also A secondary network set up by monsters to overthrow the men and women who defeated them. Some of them I know personally. These monsters I would also like to hunt down." he said, turning back to Ata, who was merely staring at the gauntlet, flexing his muscles and thinking to shift the color of the gem between a milky diamond to a shimmering emerald. "So your turning our ambush and evacuation into a chance to make us both stronger and take care of monsters you don't like? You're rather incredible, Brother."

Kentaro started the massive machine, Ata smelling the scent of diesel fuel come through the cracked windows, something that rather comforted him. The Yakuza glanced to both of them, shaking his head. "Just keep me out of your fights unless you can find a way for me to fight monsters. And no guns, I'm not big on standing in the background and holding a hunk of metal to fight." he said, and Poe nodded, glancing back to Ata, who remained rather quiet the whole time. The Kurou wondered what was going on in his head, as the last week had been incredibly eventful, from turning on the Igasaki to being trained by and then losing Gabi Raizou, to obtaining a super powered gauntlet that was supposedly the Holy Grail, and finally to being forced out of his dwelling after a fight with the ToQgers. Poe smiled, shaking his head as the large vehicle pulled away, heading out of town.

 _I wonder if you can hear me, Old Man?_ Ata thought, thinking of the previous user. _I'm managing to keep myself under control rather easily, and I also managed to mold that wellspring you left over into a new form to save both my life and Poe's. I must thank you for that._ He thought, chuckling as he leaned his head against the wall, glancing out the window as he watched the city go by, inhaling slowly. _No matter what crazy shit I get into, or Poe gets us into, I swear to come back here and defeat the Igasaki for their disrespect. And as for Kyuuemon? I'll deal with him first._ He thought, smiling as he closed his eyes, deciding that getting a little bit more rest was the best option for him at the moment. "Say, Ata. Mind if I ask a question?" Kentaro asked as he glanced back to him, the fighter nodding as he used the distraction to adjust himself into a more comfortable position.

"Well, it's 2 questions actually. What happens if you have more enemies than you can manage?" he asked, and Ata hummed, honestly wondering the same thing. "Simple. I fight until I'm dead. Tumatauenga wouldn't be pleased with me otherwise, and neither would any of the other Gods I respect. If I honestly expect to die, than I will rush back here and eliminate Kyuuemon and the Igasaki as fast as possible, and face my enemies in a glorious battle where I will go down swinging with the force of a thousand suns. And then, my soul will move on to where it belongs, be that the Maori Underworld, or a place more fitting of my lifestyle, like Valhalla." he said, the mention of the hall of the slain causing him to chuckle inwardly.

"That's fair. You care more about fighting than anything else anyway. Although, what are you going to do if you end up fighting the Gekirangers?" he asked, referring to the Sentai both of his previous teachers were a part of. Ata hesitated, honestly unable to answer this question immediately, as it wasn't something he pondered often. He soon sighed, shaking his head. "I will defeat them. Although, throughout the fight, I will use my body and my words to relay the message that I am not honestly evil. If I do this, I'm sure that at the least Jan-sensei will understand." he explained, the last part of the statement making Poe wonder if Ata believed it himself.

 _Done! I hope you enjoyed this, as this fight was rather puzzling to right, being 7 on 2 in a forest with various weapons available and various tactics, styles etc. Once more, if there are any major inconsistencies, please mention them to me so that I may remedy them before I get too far along to turn back lol. Thanks for everything, and I always hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF Inc._


	5. Haka 5: Whakawiri

_Jiro here once more, this time for Chapter 5. This chapter will be interesting, I think, since I'm thinking up what to do literally as I right it, unlike the previous chapters. As always, I appreciate if you point out inconsistencies in my usage of the Maori language and so on. And of course, I hope that you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing. Thanks for everything, and please enjoy, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF Inc._

Ata leaned against the large machine, glancing up to the night sky and seeing many stars, the fighter unable to identify any constellations besides Orion, as the trio of stars that made up the belt were always directly above his head. "Say Poe, what are you looking for these 'Switch' things for?" he asked, and the Kurou chuckled. "Astro Switches, which is what they're actually called, are switches that channel the power of various constellations to give the user either a new form or a new power. The ones I'm looking for are Zodiart Switches, since the other switches, which I call 'Module' Switches, can only be used by Kamen Riders or other individuals who have devices equipped for using them." he explained, causing Ata to grunt. "And let me take a wild guess. Zodiart Switches are what the bad guys used, right?" he asked, causing the dapper monster to nod.

"Precisely. You see, it'd be much easier if I had a squadron of mindless Dustards or other Kurous, but since I'm one of if not the only living Kurou, and Dustards are only born at the will of a Zodiac Zodiart, I have to resort to creating myself a fresh roster of allies." he explained, and Ata scratched his head, honestly puzzled. "Why not just fight them with me? It'd be much easier on the both of us." he said, and Poe frowned, looking to his friend. "I'll take care of them. Remember, it's my species and superiors that they wiped out. And after I ignored all of that and gave them, gave Right Suzuki, the benefit of the doubt, they, _he_ , attacked me from behind without a single regret. I wouldn't be able to call myself a Kurou, much less a warrior if I allowed them to get away with it." he said, and Ata began to laugh.

"I've never seen you this fired up before." he said, nodding and waving his right hand. "I'll let you handle them, but don't be afraid to call me for help if you need it." he said, and Poe nodded. "Of course. By time I finish them off, you should have obtained at least one more of the remaining wellsprings." he said, and Ata blinked. "Speaking of which, have you located one?" he asked, and Poe nodded. "Of course. And when Galahad wrote that they were convenient, he wasn't lying. The next wellspring should be somewhere in a city or town called Subaraboshi, which isn't too far from Ama-No-Gawa, which is where I plan on taking us." he said, causing Ata to hum. "And will there be any resistance found in either place?" he asked, and Poe turned to him and tipped his hat.

"Not for you unless you want there to be. As for me? When the 'Kamen Rider Club' hears that a monster is going around, possibly searching for or giving out Switches, I'll have my own problems." he said, and Ata furrowed his brow, his jaw going slack in confusion. "Did you just fucking say the 'Kamen Rider Club' in a serious sentence?" he asked, and Poe nodded. "A Zodiart going by the name of Pleiades put out the word that in that area there is an entire group that aid and assist the Kamen Riders in the area. Gave full details too, so I can deal with each individual in a unique fashion." he said, chuckling afterwards. Ata flexed his right hand, frowning.

"Even the Kamen Rider?" he asked, and Poe nodded. "Of course. He'll be the easiest since he's such a godsforsaken idiot. Besides, you couldn't beat him yet. He has the ability to open portals into space at will, and neither Galahad nor Gabi Raizou mentioned anything about being able to survive in space." he said, and Ata grit his teeth, nodding. "Be careful, brother. I wouldn't want to have to return home and tell the Iwi that you got thrown into space by some super suited freak." Ata said, and Poe began to laugh. "You should be careful yourself. After all, we have no idea where the wellspring in Subaraboshi is exactly, or what shape it's taken." he said, and Ata tilted his head. "Shape?"

Poe nodded as he walked past Ata, noticing that Kentaro was fast asleep at the wheel, sighing and shaking his head. "I should've learned to drive this thing." he grumbled to himself before turning back to Ata. "One thing I noticed was that Galahad never explained exactly _what_ the wellsprings were, so I have to at least wonder if that means that they take multiple forms." he said, and Ata began to rub his chin. "Like what?" he asked, and Poe pulled his hat off, rubbing the smooth top of his head before placing his hat back on. "Anything. For all we know, the wellspring could be in the shape of a human and the only way to get it is to eat or kill them." he said, Ata more concerned by the fact that Poe put 'eat' before 'kill'. Ata shrugged as he glanced to the entrance of the RV, considering turning in for the night himself, despite the nap he just had.

"I'll think of something. I can't just go around killing innocent civilians just to absorb some odd energy inside of them." he said, and Poe nodded. "If it is inside a person and not just a lake or well with black colored water, leave. If you attempt to follow the person, you might get noticed by one of the seniors there." he said, and Ata rose a brow. "One of the seniors? Why should I be worried about that?" he asked, and Poe chuckled. "Because one of the seniors is a Kamen Rider by the name of Meteor." he said, and Ata laughed as he opened the door to the machine, stirring Kentaro slightly. "And you think I'm going to let a _Meteor_ beat me? What do I look like, a dinosaur?" he asked, and Poe shook his head as he headed to sleep. "Must he always be so damn reckless?"

Kentaro looked to Poe as they continued to travel, the sun beginning to rise to his left. "Say, would whatever things your looking for make me more useful?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "Each constellation has it's own Zodiart as far as I know. If you could make use of whatever random form you received, I could see if I can find one. Although, I don't think any of my contacts have knowledge of how your constellation is picked. I heard that the Libra Zodiart can see, but since he's dead, I have no way of knowing." he said, and Kentaro grunted. "So I should just stay out of the way or use myself as a decoy, right?" he asked, and Poe shook his head. "Not at all. I believe Ata said that you were able to fight with him for a decent time period and get up after an entire barrage of strikes when he was serious. Your physical capabilities should make you rather useful."

Kentaro laughed. "That's good to hear. If my thing was just driving this thing, I might get depressed, you know?" he asked, the Kurou chuckling as he glanced to the Yakuza. _For once, Ata befriended someone that's somewhat normal._ He thought. "So, if your plans all go right, what will I be doing?" he asked, and Poe hummed. "Backing me up. Me and you will go searching for Astro Switches and stray Zodiarts. Of course, this means that you'll have to fight with me. I trust that isn't an issue?" he asked, and Kentaro pursed his lips in thought before shaking his head. "None at all. I just hope we don't end up fighting some freakish monster that we can't handle or escape from." he said, and Poe nodded. "As do I. If a Zodiac Zodiart is still around, I'll need to call Ata immediately." He noted, and Kentaro shrugged.

"Gotta go what you gotta do. What about Ata? Where will he be going?" he asked, and Poe glanced out the window, reading a sign about how far away the next rest stop was, knowing full well that they would drive past it without a single thought or glance. "Subaraboshi. The book mentioned that the next wellspring was in a town that held a close relationship to the Star Village, which is what he called Ama-No-Gawa, since it was before the town was founded. Of course, that's where Ryuusei Sakuta is attending school." he said, and Kentaro whistled. "Meteor? I read about him. Couple of fanboys said that he uses a form of Jeet Kun Do to fight. Have you told Ata about him?" he asked, and Poe shook his head. "Ata learns best while fighting. And besides, Jeet Kun Do isn't something that Ata isn't familiar with. Infact, I'd wager good money that Ata's Jeet Kun Do is better than Meteor's."

When Ata awoke, he noticed that the vehicle had stopped moving. _Did we get there already?_ He wondered, sitting up and sighing as he got out of the rather comfortable bed in the back of the RV, stretching and rolling his joints to avoid any cramps. He exited the small bedroom, which was only blocked off by a black cloth hanging around the doorframe like border, noticing that Kentaro and Poe were almost rushing from the vehicle. Ata followed after them, his long legs allowing him to close the distance in mere seconds, watching Poe turn to him as he frowned. "So you finally decided to get up, huh?" he asked, and Ata frowned. "Snippy today, aren't we?" he retorted, and Poe grunted. "I should be. Look." he said as they walked around the front of the RV, Ata laughing at what he saw.

"Now this is something worth getting out of bed for!" He shouted as he flexed his right hand, summoning the gauntlet to the surface as he looked at the roadblock. "What are these things?" he asked, the white faced, brown garbed creatures holding their arms out to the front in an extremely stiff fashion. "They're called Rinshi. When they evolve, they're called Rinrinshi, or 'Predator Rinshi', since they develop a unique fighting style called 'Rinju Ken', which can mean either 'Predatory Fist' or 'Confrontation Fist'." Poe explained, and Ata rose a brow. "These are the things Jan and Gou-sensei would fight, aren't they?" he asked, and Poe nodded. "Correct. Although, the guy behind them is the problem." he said, and Ata looked beyond the creatures, rolling his neck as he took in the leader of the group.

The monster appeared to be a snake, very cobra like in appearance. "Predatory Cobra Fist User Braco. I thought he was dead?" Ata asked, and Poe nodded. "That's the problem. I'm not sure why he's here. If I were to hazard a guess, I would assume it's a reaction to you closing in on the wellspring, or perhaps the energy source of the gauntlet interacting negatively with the Cosmic Energy of Ama-No-Gawa." he explained, watching the cobra walk past his group of Rinshi. "Are you the one known as Pokere?" the cobra asked, and Ata narrowed his eyes. _How does he know Poe?_ He wondered, the Kurou looking to Kentaro. "We're getting back in the RV. Ata can easily handle this group. We'll be ready to flee should things go wrong or before more of his allies appear." he whispered, the Yakuza nodding as Poe turned back to Braco.

"That's me. Who wants to know?" he asked, and Ata looked to the gauntlet, the gem changing color from white to green, Ata liking the shade the emerald had. "Are you aware of a Phantom by the name of Gremlin?" he asked, and Poe seemed to visibly hesitate, something Ata picked up on. "And the little queer wants my head, I take it?" he asked, Ata finding Poe's odd venom rather unusual. Braco merely nodded, drawing a pair of large, hooked blades, Poe nodding to Kentaro as the duo fled, leaving Ata more room to fight. "Perhaps I should introduce myself, since I already know you." Ata said, and Braco scoffed, a sound that Ata honestly liked. "My name is Ata, and I have mastered four styles of Beast Fist. Would you like a demonstration?" he asked, and Braco scoffed as he pointed his left blade forward, the Rinshi attacking immediately, Ata laughing at their hopping gait.

Ata held his hands out, bending and curling his fingers back as he rolled his shoulders. The first Rinshi reached him, Ata jabbing his right hand out and striking it in the face, his left hand jabbing it in the chest, knocking it back as Ata opened his hands to face the second Rinshi, ducking under a stiff dual handed jab, a rapid flurry of palm strikes to the midsection followed up with a hard left palm that shoved the creature back, Ata balling his fists as his left leg began to rise off the ground, Ata's mind clearing as he counted ten more Rinshi remaining. The third one reached him, Ata pressing his balled fists together as he spun and rolled his body, coming down with a hard right elbow, the attack almost like a blade as the creature flew back, Ata catching the fourth with a left knee to the gut, a right elbow to the brain stem causing it to fall motionless to the ground.

"Recognize any of these styles?" Ata asked as his palms opened, his muscles tensing as the fifth Rinshi was struck with a dual palm strike that sent it flying rather far, Ata hearing a shout of surprise from inside the RV. "Geki Wolf Ken, and Geki Tiger Ken. I'm rather impressed." Braco said, the sixth and seventh Rinshi dispatched with varying palm strikes, Ata catching the eighth with both palms open, stamping forward and slamming his skull into the creature. "Don't recognize this?" he asked, shifting to the broad, open palmed stance as he blocked the four remaining Rinshi with ease, holding his right hand up to the sky as he inhaled. _**"Pumotu Whakaahua, Rangi Samurai."**_ He commanded, a gust of wind causing sand and dirt to cover and mask his form as the gauntlet released a pulse of energy, the black energy creating the armor around his body as Gabi Raizou's blades materialized in his hands.

Ata spun in a circle, casting away the wind and slicing the flesh of the four remaining Rinshi, Ata sighing as he took in the feeling of the transformation, noticing that it felt much more comfortable now. "My third style was Predatory Bear Fist, the style of the Land Overlord, Maku." Ata explained, and Braco seemed to grow the tiniest bit worried, the Bear Fist one of the most fearsome martial arts in existence, said to be the equal of the first style, Rhinoceros Fist. "Master Maku's Bear Fist won't help you in an armed battle." Braco said as he charged forward, Ata clanged his blades together, grinding them as he spread his stance, his left leg outstretched as he leaned on his bent right leg, his right blade positioned high above his head. Braco came up with both of his hooked blades, and Ata reacted swiftly, spinning both blades in his hands as he spun, using the dull spines of the blades to sweep Braco's feet from under him.

Ata turned and stood, watching Braco roll to his feet and immediately attack with his left blade, attacking with the outside of the hook, Ata's mind envisioning multiple scenarios in which using both the inside and outside of the blades were effective. Ata blocked with his left blade, Attacking Braco's back with his right blade, striking him and shoving him forward as he turned to face Ata, who rolled the blades in his grip. Braco came down with his right blade, Ata swinging his left blade and knocking Braco's away, repeating the process with the opposite arm as Braco attacked. Ata laughed, realizing that his blades were making contact with the inside of Braco's blades, both of them standing with their arms in an X shape, Ata rolling his arms in a broad circle, much akin to the one he would use during the Raigen Giri, both pairs of blades being flung high into the air, Braco distracted and shocked.

Ata summoned the wind to his right hand, a sharp, blade like twister surrounding his palm as he stomped forward and jabbed out his right palm. "Predatory Bear Fist: Zenith Palm Thrust!" he called, the palm striking Braco in the chest as he coughed only once, his body quivering as it began to almost melt to the ground, unmoving as Ata caught both pairs of blades, turning away from the Cobra Fist master, the wind blowing as the armor seemed to simply blow away, Ata walking back to the RV calmly, using the Gauntlet to contain Braco's weapons along with his own. Ata sighed, looking to his palm. _I wonder if Braco was wondering what my fourth Beast Fist style was._

Later, the trio pulled the massive vehicle off to the side, sitting at the booth that served as a miniature dining room. "Say Ata, what happened to the stuff you make vanish with that energy?" Kentaro asked, and Ata tilted his head, looking to his right palm as he ate, Poe stocking the RV with at least a month's worth of food, including the sushi in front of him. "I don't know. I think Ringa-A-Whiro, the gauntlet, sends them somewhere only it can reach. I can send anything there, from Gabi Raizou-sensei's blades, to Braco's blades and so on, and it seems that I can summon them at will. It's rather interesting to be honest." he said, and Kentaro nodded. "It'd be great for protecting people too. Imagine if you could send people in danger to some alternate world or whatever while you do the fighting." he said, and Ata nodded.

Poe folded his arms. "What I want to know is what the hell did you do to Braco?" he asked, and Ata rose a brow. "Killed him." he said, and Poe frowned. "I wanted him alive honestly. I could have questioned him about Gremlin or recruited him." he said, and Ata waved his arm, dismissing his friend. "He isn't the kind of guy I wanna work with. I don't like snakes." he said, and Poe sighed. "At least explain what happened to him. Why the fuck did he melt to the ground?" he asked, and Ata chuckled. "It was the Zenith Palm Thrust. It's a Bear Fist technique that deals enough damage to completely annihilate something's body. It seems that my Beast Fist techniques are altered by the gauntlet and what form I'm in, since it seems that the only thing that was destroyed was his skeleton." he noted, and Kentaro grimaced at the thought of having no bones.

That night, Ata once again stood outside of the RV with Poe, briefly entertaining a name for the large vehicle, disregarding the thought as he turned to his friend. "So, are you going to explain anything about this 'Gremlin' to me?" he asked, and Poe grit his teeth. "I wish I could. According to all reports, Gremlin was vanquished by Souma Haruto a few years ago." he explained, and Ata hummed. "Another dead villain brought back, huh?" Ata wondered, and Poe sighed. "Although, I'm not too surprised. Gremlin's primary goal was always his own survival. He's been looking for a way to become human for ages, and I'm rather sure that dying before he completed his objective wasn't an option." he said, and Ata grunted. "So he came up with a plot that would revive should he face defeat?" he asked, and Poe nodded.

"It's very possible, since he once had the Philosopher's Stone." he noted, and Ata felt his jaw go slack. "Did you just say the fucking _Philosopher's Stone?_ " He asked, rather surprised and confused. Poe nodded, rubbing his forehead in agitation. "He had it at one point. As far as I know, it's currently on Souma Haruto's hand. Gremlin somehow being revived might mean any number of things. All this means for us is that I have to be much more careful when traveling and that we may have to make that visit to Tokyo after all." he said, and Ata shrugged. "That won't be a problem. How badly outclassed would we be in Tokyo?" he asked, and Poe hummed. "Very. I believe Tokyo has at least three or four Kamen Riders in it at the least. Wizard is there and Kuuga travels there rather often I hear." he said, and Ata chuckled.

"And in this cespool of Kamen Riders is someone you referred to as a 'Little Queer', who is some demonic monster brought back to life to regain his humanity?" he asked, and Poe nodded. "Precisely. I'd forgive Gremlin, since him possibly coming after me is sensible, since I made my distaste for him rather known during his down time, but the problem is that even as a human, the little bitch boy was still a serial killer." he said, and Ata rose a brow. "Lemme guess, Jack the Ripper role player or a murderous beautician?" he wondered, Poe nodding. "The latter. His victims were females with long black hair, much like his first victim, who was a girl who wanted to break up with him." he said, and Ata scoffed. "He let a single sour relationship turn him into a serial killer? Rather weak individual." he noted.

"If we run into him, will you exterminate him for me?" Poe asked, and Ata, of course, nodded. "No problem. All of this interesting knowledge you have because of your underground monster network is rather amusing to me. It makes all of the monsters I have to kill and the Kamen Riders I have to probably avoid rather worth it." he said, and Poe sighed. "You're insane, you know that?" he asked, and Ata shrugged. "What do you expect? I'm a Kamen Rider, who's best friend is a train robber monster, who is asking me to kill a serial killer beautician turned monster." he said, Ata's blunt way of describing the situation causing Poe to laugh.

Regardless of how Takaharu felt about it, the Igasaki were not happy to have guests on a daily basis, the train dwelling group a constant fixture at their dojo. "You guys sure you don't have any leads on this knight?" Hikari asked, the green ToQger asking the question for the third day in a row. "Like we've said the last two days, we have no idea." Yakumo retorted, the two super suited fellows not getting along very well. Their almost visible distaste for each other soured the air of the dojo, Kasumi and Nagi exiting the room as fast as possible. Hikari opened his mouth to speak, but he felt someone tap him on the shoulder, turning to see Kagura standing behind him. "I just got a call from Right. They say they might have something." she said, and the ToQger exhaled, happy to exit the dojo and remove the blue Ninger from his presence.

The other three ToQgers, as Akira chose to monitor the condition of the railroads in and around the town, stood in front of the door, preparing for anything. "This is the right place, right?" the red ToQger asked, and Mio nodded. "The old lady at the entrance said that a Kurou used to live here, or at least someone that looks enough like one." she whispered, wondering if anyone was inside the room. "Should we knock?" Tokacchi asked, and Right nodded. "You're right! It would be rude to break in." he said, knocking on the door loudly, the other two ToQgers sighing as they began to hear shuffling come from inside the apartment. Hearing footsteps approach from multiple directions, they turned briefly to see Kagura and Hikari joining them, the knob turning as the door began to open.

When the door opened, they were surprised to see a human standing in front of them, and one that wasn't too tall either, Tokacchi and Hikari being visibly taller. "Can I help you?" the person asked, a soft voice that matched the person's youthful features. Hikari pushed past Right, standing at the front of the group. "We'd like to ask you a few questions about someone who might have lived here." he stated, and the person tilted their head, stepping aside. "Come in, but please leave your shoes near the door." they stated, and they all nodded, filling in in a single file line. They watched their host move to a couch and take a seat, the group all scattering about the spacious living room. "How can I help you?" their host asked and Hikari reached into his jacket.

"Have you seen this?" he asked, pulling out a photograph of a Kurou, their host humming. "And if I have?" Hikari frowned at the response, as if the Kurou was being protected. "This creature is the ally of someone who heavily injured one of our teammates. If you refuse to tell us what you know, I'll take you in for questioning." he said, being met with an almost child like chuckle. "Pardon me, but you showed up at my house and now you're threatening to arrest me? All without introductions?" Right nodded, walking over and patting their host on the shoulder, something that was met with a frown. "He's right. We haven't introduced ourselves." he said, and their host stood, his eyes locked on Right rather intently. "I'll start things off. My name is Hiro, and I would appreciate it if you kept your hands off of me." he said, his tone too lighthearted to be taken seriously.

Hiro sat down, running his fingers through his light brown hair as he listened to the ToQgers introduce themselves. "Now that that's through, do you have any knowledge of this creature?" Hikari asked, and Hiro nodded. "Of course. That's my good friend Poe. He's the one who let me stay here to see what living alone is like." he said, and the group all looked amongst each other, trying to remain calm. "And do you know of any of this 'Poe's' allies?" he asked, and the boy shook his head. "Not at all. I only met him twice. He's a nice guy, and he gives you a very…. I'd say flamboyant older brother vibe. I take it that you asking me about him makes you guys the Sentai team that attacked them for no reason?" he asked, and Hikari grit his teeth.

"No reason!? Is that the lie that creature told you!?" he shouted, Kagura placing a hand on his shoulder to try and calm him. Hiro nodded, a smile gracing his features as he stood again. "Poe was with his good brother, and they were _burying_ his fallen sensei when you attacked. Give me one reason why your attack couldn't wait at least another five minutes?" he asked, taking another step towards Hikari, the green ToQger beginning to notice that his friends weren't reacting to anything that was going on, almost as if they were frozen by something. "He's a Kurou! I don't need a reason to exterminate evil!" he said, his tone rising, the other ToQgers remaining stiff as Hiro shook his head. "Now you see, that's my problem with this. How is burying your brother's sensei evil? Don't try and tell me that you think all monsters are evil, especially when your own ToQ Rokugou is a Shadow."

Hikari blinked, realizing that he never divulged that information. He reached forward, grabbing Hiro by the collar and tugging him closer. "Who are you?" he asked, and Hiro blinked, pushing Hikari away as the other ToQgers began to move, as if broken free of some trance. "I thought I requested that you don't touch me?" He asked, and Right folded his arms. "That's mean Hikari. We just finished introducing ourselves." he said, and Hikari narrowed his eyes. "We've been talking for the last five minutes." he said, and Tokacchi blinked, as if confused by that statement. "No I could've sworn that Kagura just introduced herself, right?" he asked, and the two female ToQgers nodded, Hikari sure that he'd been signaled out by their host, who began to chuckle.

"Is he the silly member of your group?" he asked, and Right shook his head. "Nope, that would be Tokacchi." he said with a childish smile, the blue ToQger sputtering in shock at how quickly his friend pointed him out. Hiro laughed. "Well, I'd love to be of service, but I've never seen that creature in the photograph before. It's very cool looking though." he said, and Hikari frowned and stepped forward, blatantly intruding on Hiro's personal space. "I don't know what you did to the others, but I see right through you." he said, and Hiro smiled. "What I did? I haven't done a single thing except introduce myself. And that's exactly what your friends will believe." he said, Hikari gritting his teeth, his left hand twitching. Hiro looked down to his hand and shook his head. "Touch me and you'll end up worse off than Nadagou."

Hikari's heart skipped a beat. How did he know about the Conductor? Did the Kurou fill him in to plan the whole scenario? And for a matter of fact, what _was_ their host? He seemed to be a young, effeminate male that was learning how to live on his own, but he somehow managed to make the other four ToQgers lose track of time, almost as if the two of them were in an alternate space, where the flow of time was different. Hikari stepped back, noticing that as he did his friends seemed to become more lively, Right touching his stomach and frowning. "Well, since you don't know, I guess we'll be going. Come on guys, it's lunchtime!" he said, laughing as he led the other three ToQgers from the room, Hikari hesitating as he heard their host laughing. "Now what will you do, Yongou? Can you convince your friends, or will you have to ask the Ninningers for assistance? Or better yet, will you have to chase after Poe by yourself?"

On the third morning, Ata looked to the gauntlet as they traveled, inching ever closer to their destination. "Let me make sure I'm getting this right. In this Subaraboshi area, you'll drop me off to find the wellspring, whatever it should be, and you'll be going miles away to Ama-No-Gawa, where there is an entire club of people who would see all monsters eliminated?" he asked, and Poe hummed. "Precisely. It's much more dangerous in Subaraboshi since Kamen Rider Meteor is a much harder individual to combat or deal with than Kamen Rider Fourze." he explained, and Ata hummed as he flexed his hand, the gem changing color from white to green. _I'd love it if I could get the energy out of people without having to kill them, should that be the case._ He thought, the gauntlet's scaly metal seeming to fluctuate in response to his thought, Ata turning his hand and looking at a rather aquatic palm, the metal appearing more like the flesh of a tentacle.

"So how many people will be on this team of yours, brother?" Ata asked, rubbing his left hand along the gauntlet, rather interested by the unusual appearance his palm took. "Most likely five to six, if that. I know that I'll be a part of it, and Kentaro as well should I find some way for him to combat the ToQgers." he said, and Ata hummed. "Kentaro's martial arts give him an advantage if you ask me. Rhinoceros Fist is something they won't expect, especially if Kentaro can freely control and manipulate his Qi." Ata noted, and the driver chuckled as he glanced back to his friend. "I was never good at using my Qi. At best I can shatter boulders with a few strikes." he said, and Ata hummed. "That'll do. Gou-sensei said that my Qi was almost non-existent, and I still manage to hold my own with monsters and the like." he said, and Kentaro shook his head.

"But what good will increasing my strength do if I'm not fast enough?" he asked, and Poe looked to Ata. "Is there any way of obtaining a pair of GekiChangers?" he asked, and Ata blinked. "Why are you looking at me? Both of my senseis were wandering fighters. I wouldn't expect anyone at SCRTC to listen to me, or help out." he said, and Poe shook his head. "That's nonsense. You've mastered Bear, Tiger and Wolf Fist. They shook recognize that much." he said, and Ata scratched his forehead, briefly thinking before shrugging. "You get me to SCRTC headquarters and I'll see what I can do. Worst case scenario is that the Gekirangers turn on me, which is fine to be honest, since they'll be a really, really good group of opponents." Poe narrowed his eyes. "So you've cleared your mind about that already?" he asked, and Ata blinked.

"If I can help it, I'll avoid a fight. But in the event I can't, I owe it to my Iwi, and to Tumatauenga to fight as hard and as long as I can." he said, and Poe rolled his eyes. "Must be nice to be so simple minded." he said, and Ata chuckled, noticing that the aquatic texture of his right palm had disappeared, Ata casting the gauntlet away as he looked to his own flesh, placing his elbows on the small table in front of him and intertwining his fingers as he leaned forward. _Hopefully SCRTC can help us out. It would be a shame to ruin Poe's fun by getting involved._ He thought, knowing full well that by time the almost inevitable final battle with the ToQgers was upon them, he would be far too strong for them to do anything. He tilted his head. _How do I know that?_ He wondered, wondering if he had somehow developed a minor form of clairvoyance.

"Magick? Are you sure?" Yakumo asked, the green ToQger nodding, his desperation causing him to ask the magickal Ninninger for assistance. "I'm fairly sure. He managed to make them forget conversations while we were still having them. And they were rather stiff too, almost like they were frozen." he explained, and Yakumo rubbed his chin, his eyes narrowing. "That sounds like rather advanced magick. It should be _easy_ to detect, but I doubt that unless we overwhelm him with numbers, we won't be able to do anything to him." he said, and Hikari nodded. "That's fine by me. Would you mind paying him a visit with me tomorrow, or whenever you're free?" he asked, and Yakumo nodded. "I'll see if I can get everybody to come. This way if I detect any magick, we can take him out right there."

"How much longer until we reach Subaraboshi?" Ata asked, the third night upon them as he looked to the sky. "Tomorrow afternoon at the latest. If the stars align and you luck out, you should be able to find the wellspring by the evening, and then Kentaro can pick you up that night and we'll be back in a group by the morning. If not, take your time, because if it's anywhere near the school there, you'll need a damn good reason why you, a 6'3 foreigner that's over 20 years old, is on high school grounds." he said, and Ata grunted. "You're implying that I should get a job at the school as a cover to search the grounds, aren't you?" he asked, and Poe nodded. "I'm sure that you can get a job as a security guard, hall monitor or whatever these schools have to keep order. If not, go for a janitor position, since that's the least suspicious." he said, Ata raising a brow.

"Oh yes, because the massive guy with rippling muscle as a janitor isn't suspicious." he said sarcastically, causing Poe to laugh. "It'll only be suspicious to the males who think they'll lose their women to said janitor." he retorted, making Ata grunt. "I hate dealing with teenagers. Why couldn't this be a college campus or something?" he groaned rhetorically. Poe sighed. "If the wellspring isn't on the school grounds, you should be fine." he said, and Ata blinked, remembering one important detail. "Wait a second. How am I going to detect this wellspring in the first place?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "I had hoped that that damned glove could detect it. Especially if it was spawned from this energy source or whatever." he said, and Ata sighed. "So you're sending me in blind while you go elsewhere looking for glorified Jeopardy buttons?" he asked, and Poe nodded. "Precisely. At the least, one of us will be successful." he said, and Ata grunted, wondering if his brother honestly cared if he succeeded.

"He said they were being targeted with magick?" Kasumi asked, the blue ninja nodding as he folded his arms. "He says that whoever this kid was that was living there, he had the ability to make his friends forget the conversations they were having as they had them." he noted, and Nagi seemed a bit confused. "Like a game that only saves at checkpoints?" he asked, and Yakumo shrugged. "Something like that. Unless he's as good at masking his magick as he is at using it, I should be able to detect and fight it with ease." he explained, and Takaharu folded his arms and nodded. "Then we should go and find this guy tomorrow and make him spill what he knows." he said with confidence, Kasumi tilting her head and narrowing her eyes. "What if he doesn't know enough? Imagine if all he knows about the Kurou and the Knight is one of their names, or how strong they are. None of that would be useful information." she said, and Nagi nodded.

"Kasumi is right. And even if he knows everything, we can't just leave the city to be overrun with Yokai." he said, something that made Yakumo nod. "Precisely. Which is why we have to hope that we can get enough information for the ToQgers to plan an ambush and take the guy out. Otherwise, he might end up here and causing us as much trouble as Kyuuemon or the Yokai." he said, and Fuuka spoke up, seeming slightly nervous. "But the emerald samurai managed to beat seven of them. How are we going to beat that?" he asked, and Takaharu beamed, a broad smile that belied his lack of knowledge about their opponent. "We will, because if we can't, how can any of us become the Last Ninja?" he asked confidently, a statement that managed to uplift everybody in the room.

Later that night, when the sky was pitch black and dotted with stars, Poe stood outside the RV, half ready to dub the machine the 'Kurainer', after the trains the Shadow Line used to use, when they were still alive that is. His phone was pressed against his skull as it rang, honestly expecting an answering machine or voicemail, the late hour usually one many people spent sleeping. "Hello?" Poe heard, the drowsy, almost confused greeting making him chuckle. "Did I wake you?" he asked, hearing an almost whimper like grunt in response. "Not really. I was playing video games. We got in this cool Kamen Rider game at work today, so I bought a copy and was playing it all night." he said, causing Poe to laugh.

"How was everything today? Did anyone visit?" he asked, a half conscious hum the first thing he heard. "Not as far as I remember. I lost track of time for a little while after work, so maybe I fell asleep and missed them." he said, and Poe narrowed his eyes slightly. _Lost track of time?_ He wondered, and responded with a laugh. "You should get you some sleep, Hiro-kun. Don't you have work tomorrow?" he asked, and he almost immediately heard a panicked gasp. "You're right! Thank you for reminding me. I'll speak with you tomorrow, and hopefully at a better hour than tonight. Goodnight, Poe-san." Hiro said hurriedly, Poe wishing him well as he hung up, wondering if Yakumo might have been behind Hiro losing track of time.

The next morning, Ata sat in his usual place at the booth as they traveled, inching closer to their destinations by the second. He looked to the gauntlet, almost chuckling as he began to think. _It's kinda funny that I'm talking to a guy who's been dead for ages, huh Old Man?_ He asked, the gauntlet remaining unmoving as he tried to speak to it's previous user. _Say Old Man, how come you never tried to make multiple forms? Why throw everything into that 'Archangel' form? What could you have been trying to accomplish?_ He asked, honestly confused that he obtained a new form after converting a single wellspring. And yet, the previous user collected two continents worth of these wellsprings and only created and perfected a single alternate form, making Ata ask another question. Why didn't he have access to this 'Archangel' form? Was it exclusive to Galahad, or was he not strong enough to summon it yet? Would he ever be able to? He chuckled, shaking his head. _That's a bit more than one question._

"We're going to arrive within the next fifteen minutes. You better get ready." Poe said, and Ata laughed, flexing his right hand. "I've got all I need right here." he said, inhaling as he stood, beginning to roll his shoulders as he grumbled. "If anything goes wrong by you, make sure to call me and do your best to get out alive. You got me?" he asked as he walked forward, leaning and draping his arms over the two front seats, Poe nodding. "Of course. My primary focus is keeping us alive. Everything comes second." he said, and Kentaro chuckled. "I'm not sure if I'm in too deep, but you don't have to worry about me. I'm sure running from some Kamen Rider will be easier than avoiding the cops every day." he said, and Ata laughed, nodding. "I can understand that. Poe was rather flustered after I beat that one guy's ass." he said, and Poe grunted. "You damaged his spine Ata. I think I reacted appropriately."

When the RV pulled away, Ata sighed as he looked around, realizing that he had no idea where he was. He reached into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet and checking it. _Poe managed to sneak in a decent wad of cash._ He noted, counting about 100,000 yen in the leather wallet. He glanced from left to right, crossing the street he stood on, humming as he began to walk aimlessly, trying to formulate a plan on how to search for the wellspring that was supposedly in this area. _Should I start my search outside of town and move towards the center of town in a spiral? That seems effective._ He thought, his next thought being where he would stay during his time in this city. _I don't need to honestly care about that. Sleeping in the wild and camping out are things I do rather often._ He thought with a chuckle, hesitating as a scent caught his nose.

He turned to the left, smelling something rather unusual. It smelt like honey and somehow, gasoline at the same time, a sweet smell that Ata began to track, somehow able to pinpoint that one scent over the thousands of scents around him, from the hot asphalt, running vehicles and multitude of people in the area. He glanced down to his right hand, wondering if his ability to pick out this one scent came from the gauntlet. _You know, I really wish that I could communicate with this thing somehow._ He thought, his ability to manipulate wind and pick out some odd scent all rather pleasant abilities. However, being unable to understand anything besides the journal of an insane _crusader_ was rather agitating. This thought caused Ata to blink. Did Galahad's journal mention anything about the scent of honey being mixed with something usually found to be unpleasant?

"Unusual scents? Are you sure about that?" Poe asked, looking at the journal as Ata hummed on the other end of the phone. "I smell honey and gasoline. And what's weird is that it's the only thing I can smell, despite the fact that I've walked past a rather large group of people and assortment of food establishments." he explained, and Poe flipped through the journal, scanning it as he hummed. "One passage, one much closer to the end of the journal, mentions 'a sickly sweet scent drew me to a village run by fiends, spawns of Satan that seduce the sons and daughters of Man before crushing their hopes and Faith, bringing out the demons within them.'" he read, and Ata narrowed his eyes. "Demons within them?" he asked, and Poe sighed.

"I feel bad for Galahad. He really had to deal with a lot of bullshit. It seems like he's talking about Phantoms, monsters born from humans that fall into despair, who recently congregated in Tokyo. Perhaps some of them fled with Wizard and Beast's appearance in the city." he mused, more to himself. "And how does this aid me?" Ata asked, and Poe shook his head. "I have no idea. Just be wary of monsters as expected. If your time with the gauntlet will be anything like Galahad's, than this scent will draw you towards Phantoms, who will try and increase their numbers by essentially making humans desire suicide." he said, and he heard the audible grunt from Ata, who's views on suicide were rather… different. "They _dare_ make people desire death? To throw away their own lives to simply increase their numbers!?" Ata shouted, drawing attention to himself.

"Calm down Ata. All you have to do to prevent this is follow the scent, find them and eliminate them." Poe explained, and Ata snickered. "I'll do a lot more than eliminate them." he said, and Poe blinked. "And what the fuck do you mean by that?" He asked, almost afraid of what Ata had in mind. "I will _assimilate_ them." he said, Poe more concerned about the venom in his voice than what he actually meant by that. "Whatever you do, try and keep your identity a secret. We have no idea how far reaching the Igasaki's connections are." he explained, and Ata nodded, the duo hanging up as Poe sighed, shaking his head as Kentaro looked to him. "He sounded like he was in a bad mood." Poe chuckled at the statement. "A rather bad one. I honestly feel bad for any Phantoms he runs into."

Ata followed the scent for what felt like miles, weaving his way through people and crossing crowded streets, the possibility that creatures that inflict despair on humans could populate the city in the forefront of his mind. The scent grew stronger, and Ata turned to the right, entering a warehouse district that was rather empty, using the lack of people as an excuse to bring the gauntlet to the surface, noticing the scent grow even stronger as he approached a singular building, one that seemed beaten down and worn. "It's always the worn down warehouse, isn't it?" Ata asked himself aloud, rolling his neck and exhaling. As he approached the entrance, he noticed a large group of grey, stone like creatures guarding it, each armed with mid to long range weapons ranging from spears to halberds and poleaxes.

Ata held his hand up, flexing his hand as the gem in the back of the hand turned a vibrant emerald color, inhaling as he stepped into view of the creatures, who released loud shouts as they began to advance on him. _**"Pumotu Whakaahua, Rangi Samurai."**_ he commanded, feeling a gust of wind surround him as his vision went black, his body coated in the black colored energy as he rolled his neck. He lifted his right arm, coming down in a casual chopping motion as the energy around him dispersed. He inhaled, estimating at least fifty of the stony creatures advancing on him. He reached down to his waist, pulling Gabi Raizou's blades and preparing himself to combat them. "You best make this interesting."

"I wonder how Ata's doing." Kentaro said, and Poe chuckled. "Rather fine I'd assume. If the scent leads him to a Phantom, he'll have his work cut out for him at least." he said, and the Yakuza chuckled. "Ata seems rather outgoing for someone who's supposed to be the son of a High Chief. Was he always like this?" he asked, and Poe nodded. "I spoke to his Mother and Father, and they both tell me that he's been ready to fight from birth. They say he was a bit weak when he was born, and that the Tohunga, or the shaman, of their village had honest doubts that he would survive. His Father tells me that he looked into Ata's crib one night and swore that he saw an image of Hine, the Maori goddess of death, looming over Ata. Of course, I believe that he was just worried silly about his child." he said with a laugh. Kentaro however, took it a bit more seriously.

"If that's true, doesn't that mean that he fought off a god?" he asked, and Poe blinked, perplexed. "No, Kentaro, it doesn't. Even if divine forces were involved, which I can say safely they weren't, Hine wouldn't want to have to deal with the god Ata was dedicated to at birth, her uncle Tumatauenga, the war god. At best Tu-sama fought her off for Ata. More realistically, he simply recovered from whatever illness or weakness plagued him." he explained, and Kentaro chuckled. "Did they say anything else weird about Ata?" He asked, and Poe hummed. "Nothing that seemed too off to me. He got into a lot of fights, trained hard, was a natural with weapons, and then he left to train worldwide." he mused, and Kentaro chuckled. "What about his childhood friends? What did they say about him?" he asked, noticing that a street sign said that their destination was merely a half a mile away.

Poe shrugged. "He had none. When he says that his weapons, and the spirits within them, are his friends, he means that. His grandfather mentioned that Ata didn't like other strong children, since no matter what, he was stronger. His grandmother countered and tried to make him seem more sociable and said that he always had a thing for weaker children and animals. But then again, no High Chief worth his title has a distaste for the weak." Poe noted, and the Yakuza sighed as he slowed down, their destination on the edge of their vision. "Ata doesn't seem like the kind of guy who'd abandon people in need." he said, and Poe chuckled. "Precisely. That's why I sent us to the more dangerous place."

Ata exhaled as he slammed both blades down, piercing the chests of the final pair of monsters. He cast the blades away with a wave of his hand, the emerald armor billowing in the wind as he closed in, the wide entrance of the worn down warehouse allowing him to see everything. "So, which one of these children is the one I'm looking for?" Ata asked loudly, a pair of stronger looking monsters turning to him. Ata looked past them to the assortment of children wearing boring, brown school uniforms, too disinterested to count them as he turned to the much more interesting monsters. The one more to his left was visibly female, her large teeth and almost bat like face reminding Ata of Vampires for some reason.

"Can you things breed?" he asked, and the female narrowed her eyes. Ata shrugged, glancing to the male to his right. This one was a bright blue color, and almost bird like in appearance. "If I had to guess, you two are descendants, or at least relatives, of a Vampire and a Thunderbird, right?" he asked, and the male stamped forward, Ata estimating that he was only three paces away from Ata. _Even if he were to sprout wings, I can still close in, especially in this form._ He noted, the female closing in slowly as Ata analyzed his opponents' appearances. The female appeared nearly human, her elongated face and heavy fangs giving her the appearance of a bat, something her large, pointed ears and brown tinted skin only aided in. _She has long hands. Probably capable of spawning wyvern wing like membranes for flight and combat._

The male was also rather plain, having no discerning features besides a short orange beak and white fur around his neck. "And who the fuck are you?" the male asked, his tone of voice telling Ata that he was also rather interested in the chance to fight him. Ata rolled his neck and took a single step back. He rolled his right wrist, summoning the sash and Gabi Raizou's blades to his waist, Braco's giant hook like blades in his hands. "Me? I'm the one who will deliver divine punishment unto thee for thy transgressions." he said, and the female chuckled, jabbing her chin at the male, who summoned a rather large blue blade, Ata able to analyze exactly how his opponent would use it. "Really? And just what have we done wrong?" the female asked, Ata sighing as he rolled the large blades in his hands. "You drive innocent humans into despair to increase your numbers. For this, you will face the judgment of the Emerald Knightmare."

"Are you sure that seven of us isn't a bit suspicious?" Fuuka asked, the group traveling together both rather large and unique. "If he's an ally of that Kurou and that Knight, than there being seven of us is necessary." Hikari responded, the only non-ninja of the group extremely adamant about this. "Y'know partner, I reckon that you're a little too sure of yourself." Kinji responded, the ToQger grunting and ignoring the golden ninja. "He might be, but if he's right, and this person is using magick, we'll have to take him down before he comes after us, or worse, Kyuuemon turns him against us." Yakumo explained, something they all understood rather well. Kasumi turned to the green ToQger, desiring to talk about something other than the pesky fox demon.

"How is that injured ally of yours doing?" she asked, and Hikari sighed, seeming to relax ever so slightly. "He's recovering, but they said that they'll need a while to charge one of their new devices to fix his arm." he explained, and Takaharu tilted his head. "Machines?" he asked, and Hikari nodded, reminded of Right when talking to the red ninja. "The Rainbow Line is powered by imagination, absurd as that sounds. They apparently developed a machine that can take concentrated imagination and fire it like a laser at two separate objects to put them back together. We'll need this to reattach his arm so he can rejoin active duty." he said, and Nagi seemed rather offput about how casually he was talking about reattaching a severed limb.

"What does he do when you guys aren't hunting these 'Shadows'?" the yellow ninja asked, and Hikari folded his arms as they closed in, their destination on the edge of their vision. "When he's not part of the ToQgers actively, he's the head of the Rainbow Line police force, who discipline Rainbow Line workers that break protocol or Shadows we can't reach. And that makes this Kurou so much more dangerous. Not only did he avoid us for almost two years, he avoided the Rainbow Line's global police force for two entire years." he explained, and Yakumo narrowed his eyes. "Could he have had help?" he asked, and Hikari shook his head. "None that we know of. If another species of monster were to aid him, we would have heard about it from another Sentai or at the least Rainbow Line workers in the area."

When they reached the building, they stopped at the front desk to speak to the owners, perhaps to obtain some form of unique information. "Oh my, there are a lot of you kids today, aren't there?" The elderly man asked, chuckling as his wife smiled at the group. "Are you all here to see Hiro-Chan again?" she asked, and Hikari nodded. "Is he in?" The man nodded. "Got home from work a little while ago. Wanted to thank us for letting him move in so quickly after the previous tenants moved out." he explained. "Is there any information on his family? He mentioned that his Mother's birthday was soon." Hikari asked, the Ninningers frowning at the blatant lie, but remaining silent when the woman nodded, crouching down and pulling out a small book.

She tore a sliver of paper out and handed it to the green ToQger. "His parents are very proud of him for moving out on his own. They're a sweet pair of youngins that want us to keep a close eye on him." she said, and Hikari nodded, thanking her for the paper as the group began to make their way up the stairs. On the way, Takaharu stopped Hikari, tugging on his arm and spinning the green fellow to face him. "Why did you lie like that? That's not cool, man." he said, folding his arms as Hikari scoffed. "And neither was him aiding the man that maimed one of my comrades." he said, the ninja unable to find a suitable rebuttal to that statement, instead remaining silent as he continued to walk up the stairs.

"If this doesn't work," Hikari began, glancing back to the ninja as the reached the next floor. "I'm going to check his parents house. If things get desperate, or if this 'Kyuuemon' tries to intervene, I'll take his parents hostage until we can sort things out." he explained, the ninja torn between thanking him for the assistance and chastising him for blatantly stating that he was going to take innocent people hostage. "I'll go with you if you end up visiting the parents. Perhaps the magick source is there instead of with he himself." the magickal blue ninja said, Hikari nodding in appreciation as they reached the door, the other five huddling together and whispering.

"They seem really into this." Takaharu whispered as Hikari knocked on the door. Kasumi grunted in agreement. "It's almost like they _want_ this kid to be evil." she said, the sound of footsteps from the room beginning to reach their ears. "Maybe they're competing with each other secretly?" Nagi suggested, something the others could all nod in agreement to, as the duo seemed rather competitive, especially with each other. The group broke their huddle as the doorknob began to turn, being pulled open by the same boy from yesterday, who wore his hair pulled back in a single braid today, the tightly braided hair hanging over his shoulder making him look far less intimidating than the ninja had expected, especially with how short he was.

"Can I help you?" he asked, and Hikari frowned. He grabbed Hiro by the collar, causing him to shout in surprise, his adrenaline and anger allowing him to carry him in, the ninja following in surprise, managing to separate the two as Hiro took a step back, the childish look in his eyes a mixture of confusion and fear. "Who are you?" he asked, and Hikari grit his teeth. "Don't give me that shit! You know exactly who I am!" he shouted, and Takaharu placed a hand on the ToQger's chest, pushing him back. "Dude, you need to relax. He's just a kid. He doesn't even know who you are." he said, and the ToQger narrowed his eyes, glaring at the confused child, whose lips slowly spread in a broad, cheshire grin.

 _Finished! I do hope you enjoyed, as this is honestly one of the first times I've had time pass in this aspect. Usually I just have entire days go by without shifting scenes or such, but I wanted to try something different, and I think it's coming out rather decently. What do you think? I'd love to hear your opinions Thanks for reading, and I hope you look forward to the next chapter, and enjoy ed this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks again, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF Inc._


	6. Haka 6: Kikokiko

_Jiro here once more, ready for Chapter 6. As much as I've managed to spread the current happenings across six chapters and probably just as many days in the story, I feel like I'm rushing a bit. What do you guys think? Lemme know. I'd love to hear from you. Thanks as always, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha OTF inc._

Hikari glared across the room at their host, who's entire demeanor seemed to shift back to a confused child, his hand gingerly raising up to his face in confusion. "Is.. is he alright?" Hiro asked, and Hikari grit his teeth as he shoved Takaharu's arm from his chest. "Forgive me. I didn't sleep well last night." he said, and the boy smiled. "You can always rest while you visit. I don't mind." he said, and Takaharu chuckled. "See, he's a good kid after all." Hikari snickered as he sat down, Takaharu and Yakumo taking the two seats to his sides. "So, what brings you folks by? I wasn't expecting any visitors today." he said, and the magickal ninja chuckled. "My first question is rather _easy_ to answer. Do you use, or know anyone that does use, magick?" he asked, and the boy hummed, shaking his head. "Nope, but I've met people who are really strong, like my friend Ata-san." he said, the Maori's name causing all of them to hesitate.

"Ata? Big foreigner?" Kinji asked, and Hiro nodded with a smile. "Some blue monster attacked the store I work at and he managed to beat it by himself. It was really cool!" he explained, his youthful enthusiasm beginning to grate at Hikari's nerves. "And where would this, 'Ata', be right now?" Hikari asked, the boy tapping his chin and grumbling to himself. "Right now? No idea. He usually finds quiet, empty places to train his Juuken." he said, the train ranger and the magickal ninja looking to each other at the mention of the Gekiranger's infamous Martial Art. "And what about 'Poe'? He's the Kurou you mentioned yesterday." he said, and the boy narrowed his eyes, his confusion rather feigned to Hikari. "I never mentioned Poe-san. How do you know him?" he asked, and Hikari slammed his hands on the coffee table in front of him.

When he did, he hesitated, realizing that Takaharu made no motion to stop him from releasing his frustration, immediately glancing to Yakumo. "Do you see this?" he whispered, and Yakumo nodded. He narrowed his eyes, realizing that he couldn't sense or detect any magick being used, standing at the same time as Hikari, both of them standing with their shoulders squared, something that made Hiro giggle. "You guys don't like being friendly, do you?" he asked, his attitude already beginning to shift. "I can tell that you're using magick to freeze everyone else, but if you think you can beat us both, you're sorely mistaken." he said, and Hiro began to chuckle as he walked around, leaning over and draping his arms around Takaharu, placing his chin on the red ninja's head.

"Make a move for your morphers and I'll snap his neck like a twig." he said, a sickly sweet tone that seemed so _wrong_ coming from Hiro's lips. The two turned to him and hesitated. "Why single us out?" Yakumo asked, and Hiro hummed, tapping his fingers on Takaharu's chest. "Why indeed?" he asked, stepping back and ruffling Takaharu's hair like he was a small child before everyone seemed to begin moving again, the boy's demeanor shifting. "Please sit. I'll go make some tea." he said, smiling innocently as he scrambled to the kitchen, the two standing rangers looking to each other with worry.

"Why are you guys standing? Forget something?" Nagi asked, and Yakumo narrowed his eyes. _So they really couldn't hear what was going on. I've never seen time magick like this before._ He thought, wondering exactly how he would prove that their host could even use magick. "You guys seem really into this. I hope you aren't competing over something." Kinji said, chuckling as he placed a hand on each of their shoulders. "Don't be absurd! I have no reason to compete with someone over exterminating evil!" Hikari said, hearing a laugh as Hiro walked back into the room, a large tray of tea in his hands. He placed the tray down, spreading small cups across the table before flinging the tray into the air and catching it between his teeth. He pulled it from his mouth, exhaling as he did so.

"Really? But what about that one time where you and Right competed to see who could defeat more Kurous? Wasn't that competition for you to try and decide who was better at Karate?" he asked, and Hikari slapped the tray from his hands, Hiro whistling as it clattered to the ground across the room. "Sure you wanna do that? I could simply pretend I was being attacked senselessly and act scared." he said, and Hikari grabbed him by the collar, Yakumo twirling his wand in between his fingers. "Hold him still. I think I know a way to get answers out of him." he asked, and Hiro hummed as energy sparked on the tip of Yakumo's wand. "Sneab eht llips!" he called, his magick casting spells by saying the commands backwards, the bright blue energy washing over Hiro.

Everyone grew more lively, surprised that somehow, Hikari managed to grab Hiro by the collar, and Yakumo cast a spell on him. "What the heck are you guys doing!?" Takaharu shouted as he stood. "Relax, Taka-nii. I just wanted to get the whole truth out without wasting my time." Yakumo said, exhaling. "Now, I'm going to ask you a few questions, and you're going to answer them truthfully." he said, Hikari releasing him as the other five ninja seemed to grow worried about how direct and aggressive they were being. "First, what is your real name?" he asked, and the boy blinked. "My name is Hiro." he said, and Yakumo nodded. _No surname, huh?_ "Do you use magick?" he asked, and Nagi frowned. "I thought he already asked this." he said, and the boy shook his head. "Nope."

Yakumo hummed as he rubbed his hairless chin, not sensing any abnormalities from his spell. "Lastly, do you know about the Black Knight?" he asked, and Hiro tilted his head. "You mean the medieval guy from European folklore. Sure!" he said, and Yakumo hesitated, realizing that he should've been more specific, the energy washing over Hiro once more as he blinked, taking a slight step back. Kasumi stepped forward, bowing deeply. "We're so sorry about this! We had no idea that they'd act out and be so rude!" she said, rising back up and bowing slightly before she and the four other ninja began to remove the duo from the room, Hikari watching Hiro hum and sit on the edge of the couch, a sickly sweet smile crossing his face as he placed his hands against his chest in the shape of a heart.

"You know, you _could_ try to make this fun." Ata said, humming as he stepped back, the blue, avian Phantom growing more and more irritated at Ata's casual behavior. "Shut the fuck up!" he shouted, Ata whistling as he flipped the left hook into a reverse grip, crossing his arm over his chest to block his foe's large blade, humming as he rolled the other hook in his hand, coming up and piercing the Phantom's arm with the pointed hook, hearing a pleasing shout in response. Ata inhaled, feeling the wind swirl around his left leg as he opened his hands, dropping his weapons and throwing a left spinning kick, striking his foe in the face and knocking him back.

Ata continued to spin, a full circle allowing him to catch his weapons before they hit the ground. He glanced behind him, seeing the female Phantom lunge for his back, spinning the blades in his palms, humming casually as he threw his arms behind his head, the sharp hooks gouging into her chest, the curve of the hooks allowing Ata to toss her overhead, slamming her to the ground and dropping his armored knees onto her skull, the added resistance allowing him to tear the blades free from her chest, the samurai rising to his full height as he turned to the recovering male Phantom. "Is she your mate or something?" he asked, the female clearly incapacitated. The blue Phantom held his blade tightly, taking a step forward and narrowing his eyes.

Ata shook his head at the Phantom's silence. "Look, buddy. If she's your mate or your sister, I'll leave her be. But if you aren't close to her, then this is as far as she goes." he said, and the Phantom chuckled. "And what reason does a Kamen Rider have to let a Phantom go? Especially since we just create more Phantoms." he said, and Ata shrugged. "I'm sure that your lady friend can promise me that she'll be a good girl. Infact," Ata started, inhaling as he opened his palm, concentrating as a small, condensed ball of black energy began to form in his palm. Ata rolled his hand, the ball merely falling onto the female's chest, rolling into one of the large wounds she had. Ata stepped away from her, walking towards the warehouse, not remembering when they exited it during their scuffle.

"Oi! What the fuck did you just do?" he asked, and Ata sighed. "I did you a favor. In return for me letting you live, you will no longer inflict despair on innocent human beings, and I will take your hostages and leave." he said, and the blue Phantom laughed, something that made Ata hesitate. "Like hell you will!" he shouted, holding his hand out, bright lights flashing around the small group of children they held captive, the stony Ghouls rising around them, weapons brandished. Ata frowned, opening his palms as the hooked blades he held vanished. A strong gust of wind blew, and Ata found himself directly in front of the children, reaching down to the blades on his waist, which he had begun to entertain names for. "Six Ghouls? Is that all you can muster as a final act?" he wondered aloud, his demeanor rather bland.

Ata swung his right blade as he turned to the left, a stiff downward slash that hit the stony shoulder of the first Ghoul, the wind surrounding the blade causing it to vibrate, the friction allowing it to simply pass through the creature's flesh, Ata not bothering to watch it fall into pieces to the ground. His left arm came up quickly, blocking the trident of the second Ghoul, pushing it to the side as he rotated his body, the same stiff strike rending the creature in twain as he pried his left blade free from between the points of the trident. He swung both blades in a stiff, hard motion as he rolled to face the third Ghoul, blades of wind flying from the edge of his blade and tearing it to pieces. Ata weaved and rolled as the trident of the fourth came down, coiling his right arm close to his chest and lifting his leg.

He stomped down and jabbed out, piercing straight through the chest of the creature, right about where he estimated it's heart would be, stepping forward and pressing his foot against the creature's chest, casually kicking it to free his blade. The fifth turned and jabbed it's trident out at the students, who were still lying on the floor tied together, Ata snickering as he spun and crouched, blocking the bladed object with the scales of the armor on his back. His hand moved down slowly, controlling a sharp gust of wind to cut through the ropes holding them together, Ata pinpointing exactly which child was the one he was searching for. "I want all of you to run, preferably back to your house. Understand?" he asked, and the fearful group nodded, Ata smiling, forgetting that all they saw was the grimacing face on his helmet, which made him chuckle.

As they began to move, Ata cast his left hand out, catching the fifth Ghoul's trident, a hard tug bringing the creature down to him, allowing him to catch it by the skull and drive it to the ground, a quick twirl of the blade he left in his hand all he needed to jab the creature in the face, leaving only the sixth Ghoul. Ata sighed, noticing that both the weird, avian Phantom and his female companion had fled, Ata not concerned with them. He turned to the final creature, who seemed unwilling to combat him, something that made Ata begin to laugh. He spun the blades in his hands, quickly sheathing them as he inhaled, the wind blowing past them one more time as the emerald armor disappeared, the sleek black knight left facing off with the creature.

"What was wrong with you guys? You were so mean to that kid!" Takaharu scolded loudly, the fact that the red ninja was _scolding_ someone one of the most abstract things about the situation. "You might think nothing is wrong, but I saw his magick. It was able to freeze all of you solid, and block you off from the rest of our conversation." Hikari said, and Nagi chuckled, almost nervously, his almost constant nervousness and awkward behavior beginning to grate on Hikari's nerves. "But if that's true, what are we supposed to do about that? If he can freeze us, how do you fight that?" he asked, and Kinji nodded. "Nagi-Boy is right. How can you fight a guy like that?"

Yakumo rubbed his chin, Hikari seeming rather agitated by the whole situation. "I _will_ figure out how. I refuse to be humiliated by some child." he said, and Kasumi narrowed her eyes slightly. "Hiro seemed to have no idea what we were talking about, and even when hit with a spell that makes him tell the truth, he didn't say anything weird or different. Maybe he's being possessed by something?" she wondered, and Yakumo nodded. "It's a possibility. I'll ask my Professor if he can find something, since this seems like an honest problem we're having." he noted. The group turned, hearing the Toad Toad Guns go off, signaling that they had to stop worrying and shift focus, the group heading out to fight the next Yokai.

Ata grumbled as he paced back and forth in the warehouse, his transformation long faded, glancing to the sun as it began it's descent in the sky. "What am I supposed to do with you?" he asked, receiving no answer. He sighed, grumbling to himself again. "Do you have any other forms? I can't just take you with me looking like _that._ " he said, receiving a hurt grunt in return, causing him to sigh. "I didn't mean it like that, you damned Ghoul." he groaned, deciding to sit down and fold his arms, the stony creature following suit and mimicking him. "Do you things communicate at all?" he asked, and the creature grumbled, Ata sighing at how annoying this creature was going to be. _Why didn't I just off this thing?_ He wondered, tilting his head as he stood up.

"Say, since you guys are spawned from magick rocks, could you tell me where your casters are? I need to make sure those two don't do anything really stupid, especially since they're guinea pigs of mine." he said, and the creature grunted, nodding as it stood. Ata laughed, slapping his thigh as he stood with a sigh, the creature beginning to lead the way. Ata frowned slightly, a lopsided expression that wasn't honestly negative in the slightest. He began swinging his arms lightly, black energy beginning to form around the creature, Ata molding the tangible energy into a sleek, fabric like form, forming a pair of pants and a hooded jacked that covered the Ghoul as he moved to it's side, the creature seeming pleased by the act. "Well, I guess since I'm gonna keep you, I might as well name you, huh?"

"So these things aren't dangerous to test out, right?" Kentaro asked, rolling the Zodiart Switch in his hands that night. Poe shook his head. "Of course not. Infact, I might use a few people as guinea pigs to see if any of them have potential to become Zodiac Zodiarts. I can't just take any run of the mill Zodiart as an ally to fight the ToQgers." he said, and the Yakuza chuckled. "You really are mad at them." he noted, and Poe nodded and grunted at the obvious. "I'll tell you now, since you're like a second in command to me, but when we fight them, leave Ichigou to me." he said, and Kentaro frowned. "Are you insane? If he can still use the 'Darkness' like I've heard, and the Hyper Ressha, or worse, _both_ , you would be screwed." he said.

Poe looked to Kentaro, and walked over to a single cabinet, opening it and reaching in, pulling out a pair of items and placing them on the table in front of Kentaro. "These belonged to my boss, and my idol, Baron Nero. He sacrificed himself to make the Emperor of Darkness stronger, and the ToQgers stopped that too, making his sacrifice, and all of his work, all of the work of my fallen kin, pointless. If you think a black suit, a shiny train shoulder plate, or both, is going to stop me from getting the revenge that someone needs to get, then you are sorely mistaken." he said, and Kentaro leaned back and whistled. "So this isn't just Poe, the Kurou that talks a lot of shit and wants to stay alive. This is Poe, the Kurou that will get revenge for all of the wrongs done to his people." he said, nodding.

"I feel that. But let me ask you. Do you want those GekiChangers because they would make me stronger, which helps you, or do you legitimately care about me?" he asked, and Poe rolled his eyes. "Don't be absurd. I haven't known you long enough to care about you as a person. But asking Ata about the GekiChangers implies that I want to, so you better not say or do stupid shit that makes me change my mind." he said, pointing at Kentaro, who saluted him jokingly. The duo began to laugh, their jovial activity cut short by the ringing of Poe's phone, the Kurou grunting as he exited the RV and pulled his phone out. He noticed that it was Hiro, finding it rather weird. "Hello?"

"Poe-san? Are you there?" he asked, and the Kurou chuckled. "Of course. How are you, kid?" he asked, and Hiro grunted, sounding a bit disheveled. "Scared. A bunch of people visited me and this guy was really mad at me for some reason. He kept grabbing me by the shirt and yelling at me." he said, and Poe frowned. "Did you get any of their names?" he asked, and Hiro grunted. "I think one of them was called Nagi, and there was one guy who stuck out, and he was the really mean one. One of the others did something that made me tell the truth. It was like _magick._ " he said, his hurried tone making him sound nearly terrified. Poe's free hand clenched into a fist as he frowned deeply.

"Do you have anywhere else you can stay?" he asked, and Hiro grunted. "I might be able to stay at a coworkers house. I can't put my family in danger." he said, and Poe nodded. "You're right. So for tonight, just do your best to relax, alright? I'll call back either later or tomorrow." he said, and the duo said their goodbyes as Poe closed his phone, swinging his fist and slamming it into the side of the RV. "So they want to play like that, huh? Let's see how they like it when someone fights back." he said, flipping his phone open once more and scanning through his contacts, the Kurou rather displeased with the brash, crude behavior of the two Sentai teams.

Ata sighed as he walked the chilly, night time streets of Subaraboshi, musing to himself about random things. "Say, you have any idea where the Phantoms that casted you are?" he asked, turning to the black cloaked, stony monster that followed him around like a dog. The creature nodded, and pointed to the east, Ata smiling as he turned, the creature continuing to follow him. "You know, if you plan on sticking around longer than a few days, I'm gonna have to train you on how I fight." he said, and the creature clenched it's fist, causing Ata to blink and chuckle. "Relax. Not now. After all, you might get beaten within the next few days, so I can't go out of the way putting all of this time into training you." he explained, and the creature nodded, saluting him like a child promising to be a good student.

Ata chuckled, hearing his phone go off, grumbling as he stopped and pulled the device out, putting it to his ear as he continued walking. "What's wrong?" he asked, and he heard a raspy, almost angry chuckle on the other line. "How are things going by you?" he asked, and Ata sighed. "That doesn't answer my question, but things by me are fine. What about you?" he asked, and Poe hummed. "The Astro Switch hunting is going fine. I believe we've found six switches. All I need is a group of people that can use them to their fullest potential." he said, and Ata hummed. "And will that be a difficult group to find?" he asked, and Poe chuckled. "Of course it will be. I have to find humans that have the ability to become Zodiarts, nurture them until I can see whether or not they can become Zodiac Zodiarts, and then properly train them." he said, and Ata whistled.

"That must be tough. Good thing I'm over here." he said smugly, and Poe rubbed his forehead, exhaling in an agitated fashion. "And how are things _over there?_ " he asked, and Ata shrugged, blinking when he realized his friend couldn't see him. "Fine actually. I already found the wellspring." he said, and Poe seemed surprised. "Truthfully?" he asked, and Ata hummed, nodding before spinning, leaning against a brick wall as he continued talking. "The scent was coming from this girl that a pair of Phantoms were holding hostage. I beat them down a little bit and freed the kids, but I'm tracking them down so that I can finish them off." he said, and Poe responded quickly. "Don't kill them! I might be able to use them." he said, and Ata shook his head, grunting in disagreement.

"They aren't worth it. Self-serving bunch they were. Although, let's just say that I might have got something better." he said, and Poe sighed, his exasperated tone letting Ata know that he didn't care about the 'something better'. "We also might have another problem." he said, and Ata hummed. "And what would that be?" he asked, and Poe chuckled, knowing full well that he was about to catch Ata's attention rather simply. "How about ninjas? Say… 6 of them?" he asked, and Ata grit his teeth. "And what the fuck do they want?" he asked, and Poe shrugged, a higher pitched grunt signaling that he had no idea. "Honestly, I don't know. They showed up at our old place and spooked poor Hiro. Hikari, the green ToQger, was with them, and he was supposedly rather angry at Hiro, almost like they had met before." he said, and Ata hummed.

"So what are you doing about this?" he asked, and Poe sighed. "They nearly jumped the kid, and he's losing track of time around their visits, so I called one of my contacts. I told him to hover around Hiro's parents mostly, since Hiro can honestly handle himself. If they get any worse, then I'll stop by and find Hikari alone in a dark alley and remind him that I _am_ an evil monster." he said, and Ata chuckled at Poe's almost excited tone. "Well, regardless of what happens, keep me updated, you got me?" he asked, and Poe nodded. "Of course. You are the last resort after all." he said, and Ata chuckled, the duo wishing each other well before hanging up, Ata turning to the stony creature, who nodded as he continued to lead the way. "Say Haumi, do you Ghouls have any familial bonds?" he asked, and the creature grunted, nodding slightly.

The next morning, the ToQgers sat together, minus Hikari, the group looking at the lone ranger, the kendama he always played with in his hand, the sound of the wooden ball clacking one of the only sounds in the train. "Those ninjas told me that Hikari was really mean to some kid they went to talk to. Do you think it's the same kid from yesterday?" Tokacchi asked, and Mio seemed to grow more worried. "Do you guys think that there's something wrong with Hikari?" she asked, and they all seemed to worry about if things would change should that be true. "I don't think anything is wrong with him. However, we can't forget that our host yesterday was rather odd." Akira said.

Right tilted his head. "I don't think so. Hiro-San was really nice. He almost reminded me of me." he said with a childish giggle, something the other ToQgers ignored. "Should we ask him about how he feels?" Kagura asked, and the train ranger looked over to the group. "You guys can stop whispering about me. I can tell that you're talking about me." he said, and Right breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that he wasn't very good at being discreet. "So what happened at Hiro's place? The Igasaki said that you were all over the place." Mio stated, and Hikari laughed. "They thought that because they were caught in whatever spell or what have you that the kid put them under." he explained, and Kagura tilted her head.

"Spell?" Hikari nodded, gripping the kendama tighter in agitation. "Yakumo, the blue ninja, said that he could tell that he put them under some kind of spell that either affected time or froze them like time was frozen. He's going to ask his teacher about magick like that, so hopefully we can combat it or disable it." he said, the oddly hopeful sound in his face making the other ToQgers glance among each other. Tokacchi began to stutter, as if trying to figure out what to say. "Should combat even be an option? I mean, Hiro-San is a pretty frail guy." he said, and Hikari scoffed, a look of disgust on his face that matched the sound that escaped from his lips. "That's what he wants you to think. He probably has other powers we don't know about as well." Hikari noted, and the ToQgers couldn't help but acknowledge that Hikari had a point.

Poe and Kentaro walked along the beach, the duo locked on searching the sands for Switches and scanning the surroundings for anyone that could possibly be an enemy. "Say, Poe. When we fight these ToQgers, will you be bringing any special equipment or something?" he asked, and Poe chuckled, shaking his head. "I've trained with Ata many times for many hours. I was physically capable of keeping up with the entire team for at least a combined timeframe of an hour, so I shouldn't need anything." he explained, and Kentaro chuckled. "So you're gonna go into battle empty handed?" he asked, and Poe shook his head. "Gods no. I'll bring my axe and Baron Nero's cane. As much as the Maori culture I took in says I should bring a Toki or a Mere, I'm a Kurou first and foremost." he explained, and Kentaro whistled.

"So you're going to brandish the weapon of your fallen mentor and plunge into battle to get revenge. Sounds rather noble for a monster." he said, and Poe chuckled, crouching down and shaking his head. He brushed away the sands, seeing a Zodiart Switch in the sand. "Us monsters are still living beings. We have thoughts and emotions in most cases, so being noble is something that some of us like to do." he said, humming as he brushed the Switch off as he stood, pocketing it when he hesitated. He leaned his head back slightly, a scent catching his nostrils by surprise. He exhaled, rolling his neck and turning to the left and looking to a high dune. "Kentaro, if I were to tell you that there's someone watching us behind that dune, what would you do?" he asked, and Kentaro sighed. "I'd go over there and check it out." he said, and Poe nodded, pulling his axe from his jacket.

He began to pull on his axe, slowly shifting it from it's axe form to it's other form, that of a Tommy gun, sighing as he pointed the gun at the dune, his finger clenching around the trigger and firing, a stream of bullets sent flying at the sand, the sound ringing out as the sand formation began to shift when penetrated, a shout erupting from behind the dunes as a lone figure began to flee, Kentaro whistling again as he slapped Poe on the left shoulder, jogging past him to chase after the figure, his boots giving him the advantage in the sandy location. Poe sighed as he followed, hoping that they weren't chasing anyone too important. _It could get bad if another Fourze System was developed to be honest._ He noted, looking ahead to see Kentaro hesitate, looking back and gesturing to Poe.

When the Kurou caught up to the Yakuza, he cursed under his breath. "What do we got?" he asked, and Poe pinched the space between his eyes, not sure if he could even call it the bridge of a nose. "The kid I fired at was probably a newer member of the Club that Pleiades didn't now about." he said, watching the kid, who was wearing an Ama-No-Gawa uniform, talk to an older pair of kids, likely college students, who were standing next to a vehicle that Kentaro knew would fetch a hefty price should he sell it. "Say Poe, if we were to steal that Mustang, would you wanna keep it or sell it?" he asked, and Poe looked to him with a blank expression. "The owner of that thing is also the Kamen Rider Club's Pilot for their mech suit, the Power Dizer. Far be it from me to try and stop you from stealing his car." he said, and Kentaro smiled.

"Thanks for the approval bud. I think I'll add stealing that thing to our 'to do' list." he said, and Poe sighed. "Regardless of your criminal intentions, we should be very wary, since they're literally one drive from contacting Fourze or Meteor." he said, and Kentaro nodded. "You got a point. What's the plan now?" he asked, and Poe hummed. "You're going to use your criminal instincts to find any illegal activity in the city and the surrounding towns and cities. I think that we can use a few ne'er do wells as test subjects for the Switches we have." he said, and Kentaro nodded. "So we vanish for a little bit to make the new kid look like he was imagining things, and then we come back with successful test subjects and steal the car, right?" he asked, and Poe nodded. "And hopefully within that time, Ata has located, absorbed, and molded the next wellspring of energy."

Ata seemed rather jovial as he continued to walk the streets of Subaraboshi, the stony Ghoul next to him in garb made from Ata's energy. "I'm surprised those two have managed to avoid us for so long." he said, and the Ghoul grumbled, the duo stopping at a street corner as Ata looked both ways, remembering to act as generic as possible, regardless of how much he stuck out. After crossing the street, Ata tilted his head, pulling out his phone as they turned to the left and continued walking, Ata closing in on the signal coming from one of the Phantoms. He whistled to himself, placing the device against his ear as it began to ring, the large foreigner inhaling through his nose, noticing faint traces of the unusual scent of the wellspring, the sickly sweet combination of honey and gasoline going ignored by the Maori.

"Hello?" he heard, a slight smile crossing his features as he heard the other person's voice. "Hiro! How have you been?" he asked, and he could almost hear the sound of Hiro's facial muscles moving as he smiled. "I've been alright. How are you?" he asked, and he shrugged, blinking when he remembered that the younger male couldn't see him. "Rather well. I'm running into a lot of chances to fight monsters and stuff around here, so I'm actually pretty happy." he said, hearing a chuckle from the other end. His smile faded as he rounded a corner, the Ghoul accompanying him grumbling at Ata's speed. "But what about you, kid? I heard those damned Igasaki showed up at your place." he said, and Hiro grunted, Ata able to hear his neck moving as he nodded.

"Yeah, they showed up and they were really weird. There was someone with them, in a green jacket, and he was really mad at me for something. I remember there being a couple of times where he just grabbed me. It was so weird and scary." he said, and Ata narrowed his eyes. "Did you happen to lose track of time at all?" he asked, and he heard another nod. "Yeah, and the guy in the green jacket said that I already met him and told him about Poe. It was so weird." he said, and Ata chuckled, nodding to himself. "It might be a side effect of you working so hard. Or maybe he's just really mad because me and Poe beat him and his friends up for attacking us." he said, and the boy blinked, Ata finding his ability to hear the movement of his eyelids rather odd.

"They attacked _you_?" he asked, Ata chuckling at the surprise in his voice, Ata noticing that the scent of honey and gasoline wafted past his nostrils, making him wonder if the girl he pinpointed as the source of the scent was in the area. "Don't worry about it. You're a strong kid. You were one of the only people who didn't panic when the Jukkarage attacked the store, remember?" he said, and he heard an affirmative grunt in return. "And look, if you get really, really worried, either call me, Poe, or the strongest person you know and ask for help." he said, partially wondering if Hiro knew anyone he considered stronger than the Maori himself. He heard a nod. "I understand. I'd hope it wouldn't come to that, though." he said, and Ata began to laugh.

"It shouldn't. They aren't that much of a problem, especially if the only one with a problem isn't the leader." he explained, opening his mouth to speak. However, he hesitated, feeling something coming from the ground, a tremor that he identified with high level fighting, remembering the way the ground shook when his father faced the Shadow in their village. "I hate to cut this short, but it seems that there's fighting going on and it's disturbing the town. Mind if I call you back later?" he asked, hearing a mumbled reply of 'sure' as he thanked Hiro and hung up, looking to the stony Ghoul, who grumbled and nodded, as if he knew what Ata was trying to say. The duo set out in the direction of the tremors, Ata's blood beginning to rush when he saw multiple people running away in fear.

When Ata and his Ghoul came around the corner, he was rather surprised to say the least. He noticed a large group of Ghouls swarming a single figure, someone garbed in black with a blue helmet and one shoulder piece in a slightly darker shade than his helmet. He looked to the Ghoul, opening his right hand and summoning the creature's trident and tossing it to him, nodding as the creature shouted, charging forward loudly as Ata held out his right arm. _**"Pumotu Whakaahua, Rangi Samurai."**_ He called, hearing the sound of the wind as he was surrounded and exhaled, rolling his neck as he began to hear the metallic jingle of his armor, drawing both of Gabi Raizou's blades as he began to walk forward calmly.

A Ghoul turned to him, Ata coming down with his right blade and rending the creature in two, rotating his wrist and coming back up, striking a second Ghoul as he came closer to the single, black clad fighter, noticing that he was fighting the blue, avian Phantom that managed to escape him earlier. _So they didn't listen to me after all._ He noted as he dispatched another Ghoul, the black garbed figure turning to him before ducking and weaving around the Phantom's blade. "Who are you!?" He shouted, a voice that Ata noted belied youth, letting him know that the man inside the suit wasn't very old. "You can call me the Emerald Samurai. I take it that you're Meteor, correct?" he asked, and he heard a snicker, a familiar shriek erupting from the Kamen Rider as he kicked the avian Phantom in the chest.

"Glad I don't have to waste time to introduce myself." he said, and Ata nodded, ducking under a Ghoul's trident, throwing his head to the right, using the wind to sharpen the horn like crest on his helmet, slicing into the creature's flesh as he rolled, flipping his blades into a mantis grip before jabbing them back, piercing the Ghoul's stony flesh, quickly removing the blades and rolling them back into a standard grip, blocking a spear with a dual bladed guard, spreading his arms, his blades slicing the weapon in two as Ata whistled, casually slamming his blades into the creature's chest, kicking it back with his left leg and pulling his blades free. "Behind you!" he heard, and Ata put his hands behind his head, a lazy looking dual bladed block stopping the large blade from crashing into his skull.

Ata sighed, stiffly pulling his arms back to his side, causing the Phantom to stumble back, allowing Ata to swing to his right, swinging both of his blades and striking the Phantom in the chest and stomach, taking casual steps forward and swinging his right blade, striking the Phantom again. "So, where's your female companion?" he asked, and the Phantom growled. "Shut the fuck up!" he shouted, swinging his blade overhead. Ata dropped his stance lower, using his right blade to block the attack, a back and forth pair of swings with his left blade striking the Phantom in the stomach as Ata rose back to his full height. "Didn't I say that you two would have to behave? Honestly, you should listen to people sometimes." he said, sounding like a laid back father lazily scolding his child.

The Phantom let out a loud, gravelly shout. "I said to shut it!" he screamed, Ata blocking his wild overhead swing with his blades, sighing as he kicked the Phantom back, watching him hit the ground and roll back before scrambling to his feet. "You have no reason to be so angry. I let you guys live after all. All you had to do was listen to me." he said, noticing that the sounds of the battle had died down, meaning that his Ghoul and the other Kamen Rider had vanquished all of the Ghouls. "Hey! Stop stalling and kill the thing!" Ata heard, rolling his eyes at Meteor's impatience. "Why don't you let me have a little fun, Asteroid?" he asked, and he heard a venomous chuckle. "The name's Meteor." he said.

Ata grunted, watching the Phantom grip his blade tightly with both hands. "Unfortunately, the other guy wants me to end this, so in order to stop him from nagging me, I'm going to have to put a stop to my lecture." he said, spreading his arms wide as he took a step forward. "Like fucking hell! I'm not dying until I get you for what you did to Torrie!" he screamed, and Ata hummed. "So that was her name, huh? Although, I didn't do anything. She's the one who kept trying to inflict despair on people after my warning. But tell me, how did she die?" he asked, and the Phantom screamed, glowing bright as lightning cackled around his being, his blade glowing as well as he charged Ata, who frowned. _All I wanted was an answer._

Ata watched the wild, horizontal swing closely, bending his left arm and leaning to the left slightly to block the attack, feeling the blade graze his own before the demon whirled around, Ata chuckling and smiling, appreciating his foe's seemingly increased speed as he moved to block the attack. However, it was thrown off by Meteor, who came flying in with a wild drop kick that knocked the demon off balance, allowing Ata to quickly respond by jabbing his blade forward, piercing the creature under his right arm. Ata pulled down, tearing the blades from his flesh and widening the wound as he began to shake his head, quickly rolling the blades into a mantis grip before dropping to one knee and coming down, one blade striking the Phantom through the eye while the other pierced his heart. Ata twisted the blades, feeling the Phantom's body go limp as his movement ceased, pulling the blades from his corpse and flicking the blood from the blades before sheathing them.

Ata looked to Meteor, who's transformation seemed to fade, Ata casting his own away as he walked over to the much shorter male, looking down at him and folding his arms. "Have you always been one to ruin someone's fun?" he asked, and he received an airy chuckle in response. "And have you always been one to stall to the point it becomes sad?" he retorted, and Ata hummed, nodding as he smiled. "Actually, that's part of the way I fight. I want my opponent to _want_ to fight me. If I showed up and started killing monsters indiscriminately, how would I be any different from the humans that do the same to other humans and monsters?" he asked, receiving a slack jawed stare in return. "You can't be serious."

Ata blinked, shaking his head. "I'm rather serious. Just because Phantoms or Shadows or whatever other kinds of monsters exist aren't human doesn't devalue their lives. That's what drove a great many species into extinction." he said, the Kamen Rider taking a step closer to the large foreigner, looking up at him. "I will _eradicate_ every monster I see. And if you think about defending them, I'll take you down too." he said, and Ata rolled his shoulders instinctively, smiling. "I look forward to the day where we stand on opposing sides of the battlefield, Meteor- _Chan_. Until then, just consider me someone who is an ally until we come to blows." he said, patting the Kamen Rider on the shoulder, hesitating slightly before chuckling, turning and calling to his Ghoul as the two walked away, Ata waving back lazily with his right hand.

That night, Poe and Kentaro had traveled to one of the surrounding cities, the Yakuza hearing about a few underground groups, choosing to ignore the prostitution ring and the meth lab and set out for the underground fighting ring, hearing that a couple of the fighters there were rather intimidating fellows. "Say Poe, did you tell Ata that Meteor was a student still?" he asked, and Poe hummed and nodded. "Yes. It was partially a lie, since he graduated and is training to be an agent of Interpol, but he goes undercover as a senior repeating because of an accident that held him back, that accident being his training." he said, and Kentaro sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "So there's an Interpol agent in training that's also a Kamen Rider and I'm a Yakuza that's working with a monster and trying to recruit other criminals to fight a Sentai. Lovely."

Poe chuckled at Kentaro's sarcastic hopelessness, knowing full well that Ata would keep Meteor busy. _Hopefully they don't come to blows. I don't think Ata has it in him to take down Meteor._ He thought, shaking his head as he mused to himself. As if on cue, Poe's phone began to ring, the Kurou hearing a familiar New Zealand accent as he answered. "How ya been, Parata?" he asked, and Poe shook his head. "Fine. We're looking for a few test subjects to turn into Zodiarts. Although, I might not be in a good enough mood to put up with failure, so I brought along a last resort just incase." he explained, and Ata chuckled. "Sounds like a lot of fun. Is Kentaro alright?" he asked, and Poe glanced back to the human, who was grumbling about getting Rider Kicked into a dark, unclean jail cell.

The Kurou rolled his eyes as he turned to face forward. "He's alright. Just a little paranoid about Kamen Riders." he said, and the Kurou hesitated at the light hearted chuckle that Ata let out. "Speaking of which, I ran into the Meteor guy you mentioned. Annoying little bugger." he said, and Poe hesitated, Kentaro picking up on Poe's hesitation. "Tell me you didn't fight him." he said, and Ata sighed. "Not yet at least. I need to do a little more digging. Something about him interested me." he said, and Poe seemed worried by that statement. "And what would that be?" he asked, and Ata hummed. "Something rather important, and possibly convenient. When we cast off our transformation and stood face to chest, since he was a lot shorter than me, I noticed that he smelled funny." he said, and Poe made a face, confused.

"And that interested you?" he asked, and Ata grunted. "It did. He smelled like _honey and gasoline._ " he said, and Poe froze solid, his phone slipping from his grip and nearly hitting the ground, the Kurou catching it as his shock changed to slight panic. " _Meteor_ smells like the wellspring!? Are you fucking with me!?" He shouted, and Ata whistled. "Calm down. It wasn't very strong. He's probably just close to the girl who I rescued yesterday with the same scent. Contact your underground friends and see what they can dig up on Meteor's close friends and classmates. Females in particular. One of them is the wellspring, and if Meteor just so happens to be sleeping with this girl, than I can kill two birds with one stone." he said, and Poe's panic became a little more than 'slight'.

"What 'Two Birds' are you referring to?" he asked, and Ata sighed, turning a corner as he debated whether or not to spend the night in a hotel or to spend all night walking around. "The first bird is the girl. I can get the energy I came for from her and get a bit stronger by training with it. The second bird is Meteor, since the little bastard thinks that monsters should be eliminated without question. And since I seem to get along with them, I'm going to fight him under the pretense of defending monsters, when it's really just to kick his ass for the fuck of it." he said, and Poe exhaled hard. "You won't do anything of the sort. You will get that wellspring and get the fuck out of there."

This statement caused Ata to laugh. "Poe, you need to relax and focus on your end. I will be fine. I'm not going to let some pretty boy in a glossy suit do me in, especially with the Igasaki and ToQgers both still alive." he said, and Poe hesitated, realizing that Ata never goes back on his word, that being one of his finer points. "Fine. But you'll have to do a little bit of charity work afterwards, especially if word gets out that some black armored Kamen Rider beat Meteor." he said, and Ata sighed, nodding. "That's fine by me. You know I'm a nice guy. Just watch out for yourself, alright? And keep an eye on Hiro, too." he said, the Kurou grunting in agreement as the duo hung up, Poe sighing loudly. "Why do I put up with him sometimes?"

A cold wind blew by, the brisk autumn weather rather intense as the two hooded figures met under a lone street light, the scene akin to a drug deal. "What did you figure out?" the first voice asked, a sigh being his first response. "Nothing of use. I found that kid's parents, so if we want to go after them alone, we can." he said, and the other figure stepped into the light, his light brown hair hanging over his forehead, protecting it from the wind ever so slightly. "Tomorrow, or the day after?" he asked, the other figure stepping into the light, shrugging in response. "The day after most likely. We can't afford to look completely insane to get the truth out of him." he said, and Yakumo nodded in return, the magick using ninja exhaling. "My Professor says that he has no records or knowledge of anyone, or anything with magick like that child's. It's rather unusual." he said, and Hikari grit his teeth.

"That's fine. If worse comes to worse, I'll just go directly after this 'Poe' figure, or make it apparent I'm going to find those he cares about and take them down." he said, and Yakumo nodded in agreement, narrowing his eyes as he sighed. "Is this really the right thing to do? We're talking about attacking _innocent people_ , after all." he said, and the green ToQger chuckled, a venomous sound that the blue ninja didn't really appreciate. "Isn't it the right thing? We're talking about a _monster_ and his ally that _maimed_ my teammate. If what we're doing is too much to you, then leave. I'll take them all down myself." he said, and the magick user chuckled. "When you put it like that, I'd look bad if we didn't take out all of these evildoers." he said, the duo nodding to each other, their resolve almost visible in the dark of night.

"So what do you think we should do?" Ata asked, the Ghoul accompanying him shrugging as they sat in the small room Ata rented. "If Meteor really _does_ have a connection to the 'Wellspring Girl', then tailing him might actually be a good idea." he said, and the Ghoul nodded. "Although, I can't put myself in too much danger should I find out that Meteor is stronger than anticipated." he said, humming to himself. He scratched his head, ruffling his own hair as he grit his teeth in frustration. "But if I want to tail either of them, I have to end up trying to get a job at a damn school for a little while." he said, falling back and folding his arms, the chilly, flat floor rather comforting to the foreigner. His mind continued to race, pondering exactly what he should, or even _could_ do.

He narrowed his eyes, sitting up and crossing his legs. "Maybe I can come up with some kind of excuse. But what?" he asked, and the Ghoul across from him mimicked his pose, crossing his stony legs and folding his arms, his head tilting slightly as Ata looked to him, his jaw going slightly slack as a smile spread across his face. "I got it! We'll work together!" he said, and the creature titled it's head in the opposite direction. "Since you're a Ghoul, you can pretend to attack the school and I'll show up and 'beat' you." he said, throwing up air quotes as the stony creature grumbled, as if not liking that idea. "Look, it'll be no problem. I'll protect you from Meteor. It's another excuse to come to blows with him." he said, and the creature mumbled to itself, still not completely convinced.

Poe ducked under a wild, boot wearing foot, catching the man that threw the kick by the waist from behind, jumping and tossing him back as he rolled to his feet, the man crashing to the ground on his neck and shoulder, groaning as he rose to his feet, Poe becoming rather irritated by the loud cheering. "Is this the best you lowlives have for me!?" Poe shouted, and the crowd continued to shout at him incoherently, the man he just threw coming at him screaming. Poe exhaled, ducking under a wild left hook, easily throwing a left hook that struck the man in the gut, a right elbow to the back grounding the man again. He rolled his left shoulder, cracking his slightly sore neck, losing count of how many fights he'd been in after the seventh or eighth, a glance at the black sky allowing him to tell that hours had gone by.

The man stayed down, shaking his head when asked to get up by a man who Poe assumed was a referee. The man raised Poe's arm, and people began booing loudly, Poe rolling his eyes as he pulled his arm from the referee's grip. Suddenly, people began to quiet down as the people to Poe's left began to part, backing away, Poe noticing a few fearful expressions as he exhaled. _Maybe this one will be worth my time._ He thought, wondering how Kentaro was doing. The duo had split, finding two different locations for the 'fight club', Poe handing the Yakuza a Switch with two instructions. The first was 'Don't use it unless your life is in danger', the second being 'pick out one of your opponents and give them the Switch in return for their loyalty'. Poe found these instructions to be simple, and hoped that Kentaro would bring back someone who could at least be a decoy for their escape once or twice.

When his next opponent finally reached him, Poe's monster features spread into a cheshire grin, able to identify the man who stood across from him easily, his muscular physique and long hair notable. "So you are still alive, huh?" he said, the man only growling like a wild animal in response. Poe turned to him, taking his usual fighting stance. "I figured that you weren't killed. Pleiades' report made your death seem like an asspull." he explained, the man taking a step forward and throwing a hard right roundhouse kick, Poe ducking under the man's leg and rising up with his own right kick, making the man stumble to the side. Poe extended his left hand, rather excited for the chance to fight the man formerly known as the Leo Zodiart. He gestured for the man to bring it, an animalistic roar his first response as both fighters closed in on each other.

A left jab, followed by another one. A quick right hook into a ducking weave and a left uppercut. A step back and a right knee. Another step back, a single figure's posture relaxing. The figure walked over to a window, seeing his slightly tired feature reflected on the glass, his light brown hair disheveled from his training. _Any reason why you're training so hard?_ He heard, blinking as he spun, looking around for the source of the voice before a whistle made him turn back to his reflection in the window, which was actually _waving_ back at him. "Um, I figured that I could try to get stronger so that I don't worry Poe-San and Ata-San." he explained, and his reflection rolled it's eyes. _Really, Hiro? Do you realize how much training you'll need to undergo to be even close to Poe's level?_ It asked, and Hiro folded his arms, turning away from the window.

"I'm not some weakling that always needs to be protected. If I can do something before they put on their suits, than that's enough for me." he said, and he heard a chuckle. _That won't be happening. Half of them are ninjas, and the other half are far too experienced for that to work._ It said, and Hiro grit his teeth, clenching his fists as he began to get angry. "You don't know that! I can take them if I wanted to!" he shouted, and the voice laughed at him again. Hiro spun back to the window, only to find that his reflection wasn't sentient anymore. _So you, a big fan of these superheroes, is ready to fight them by your lonesome? Wouldn't that made you…_ _ **evil**_ _?_ The voice asked, and Hiro blinked, realizing that it was right. He inhaled, trying to calm down, noticing that his hands were shaking.

"I'm not evil! I'm just protecting myself." he said, the voice humming loudly in Hiro's head, the boy wondering if he was going insane. _That's not how they'll see it. Hikari already knows about Poe, so if you hold back all of your knowledge, that makes you a bad guy, doesn't it?_ The voice taunted, and Hiro walked over to his couch, sitting down and inhaling slowly before exhaling, shaking his head. "If they come after me, then no matter what I do, I'm in the right. Or if they come after Poe-San, or even Ata-San." he said, and the voice was silent, but Poe could tell that whatever mouth it used was curved in an evil smile. _There you go. Evil is a matter of perspective, right?_ It asked, and Hiro exhaled. The voice chuckled, a giggling sound that the boy didn't honestly like hearing in his head.

 _You wanna know something funny though?_ It asked, and Hiro tilted his head. _Imagine if they thought going after your parents would get you to spill your guts about Poe._ It mentioned, and Hiro's fists clenched, his teeth gritting at the thought of a Sentai, one of the many groups that he and many other young people idolized, would _dare_ go after his parents. "I won't let them." he said quietly, the voice laughing at him for the third time. _And what can you do? Call Poe or Ata for help? They're days away from here. Your parents would be tied to some train tracks like a bad movie, and that fucker Hikari would be the one driving it._ The voice said, Hiro feeling his muscles clench as he lifted his arms into the air.

"I won't let that happen. I… I'd _kill_ them!" he shouted, slamming his hands down onto the table in front of him, his anger shifting to shock as the table shattered into pieces, broken wood being sent flying around the room. Hiro blinked, looking to his hands, ignoring their quivering as he closed them, opening them again, hesitating as he saw a flash of blue pass between the fingers of his right hand. He cursed, clenching his right fist as he leaned back and looked to the ceiling. "That was your goal, wasn't it?" He asked, the voice merely humming, a sound that served as a 'yes' to Hiro's question. "Why were you trying to anger me on purpose?" he asked, and the voice merely chuckled, a sound that Hiro knew was accompanied by a smile.

 _It's simple. I wanted to see what you're body was capable of. At first I thought your body was good for nothing but talking, but now? Now that I know this, messing with those idiots will be much, much more entertaining._ It said, and Hiro tilted his head, narrowing his eyes ever so slightly. "Are you going to hurt them?" he asked, and the voice whistled, a sound that seemed to be accompanied by invisible hands waving in denial. _Of course not. That blue flash was electricity, wasn't it? If I use my powers to discover the reason electricity was cackling between your fingers and then amplify it, I can break the two I picked out. Imagine how ironic it would be if they were so far gone they gave birth to Phantoms._ The voice said, a maniacal laugh ringing out in Hiro's head. The boy stood, glancing to his hands before heading to bed, making a mental note to take Ata's advice and call 'the strongest person he knew'.

 _Le FANETO! I do hope you enjoyed, as this much faster pace is something I'm not really used to lol. If you did enjoy, than thank you, I love you, I appreciate you, you smart, you loyal, you a genius. Let me know about any inconsistencies or what have you. Criticism is also welcome, provided you don't intentionally sound like a twat lol. I do sincerely hope you enjoyed, and I will see you for dee next chapter. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing, and I appreciate your continued support, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF INC._


	7. Haka 7: Purakau Toa

_Damn it's already time for Chapter 7 this shit brazy mane. Anyway, I hope that you've enjoyed yourself up to here, and that you continue to enjoy yourself. As always, I appreciate everything and hope you enjoy reading this ass much as I enjoy writing it, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF INC._

Ata glanced at the school in front of him, humming as he scanned the surrounding area, looking for a spot where he could simply hide out and formulate a plan. "Do you think we should hide on campus to think up a plan?" he asked, turning and looking to the stony Ghoul, the creature grumbling to itself before shaking it's head. Ata hummed, running multiple scenarios through his head before nodding. "You're right. I can't think of many situations where just dropping you on the property wouldn't be better." he said, the duo turning in the opposite direction and heading out, the foreigner looking to the monster and folding his arms. "I think I should train you since you might have to end up fighting Meteor for a little bit." he said, the creature grumbling, as if it disliked that possibility. Ata chuckled, patting him on the back. "Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you."

"So you didn't find anyone, huh?" Poe asked, meeting up with the Yakuza the next morning, finding the man half awake in the RV. He looked to the Kurou, shaking his head. "Nope. No one even lasted five minutes with me, so I couldn't trust any of them." he said, and Poe chuckled, finding that an understandable reason. "It's a good thing I was successful." he said, the duo looking to the booth, where the almost wild man was sitting, eating rather heartily, as if he hadn't had a scrap of food in days. "How the hell did you find him?" Kentaro asked, and Poe shrugged. "A stroke of luck. I figured that there was a possibility of him being alive, since the circumstances of his death were rather unusual." he said, and Kentaro grunted, nodding.

"But what Switch are you gonna give him?" he asked, and Poe glanced to his driver, chuckling. "The Leo Switch. Remember when we were on the beach and were being watched? It might have been a coincidence, but since the Kamen Rider Club and a Horoscope Switch were in the same area, I'm going to play it a bit safer than usual." he said, and Kentaro chuckled, wagging a finger in Poe's direction. "That sounds like a good idea. So, are we going to lay low until it's time to pick up Ata?" he asked, and Poe shook his head. "Not entirely. I think stealing that car is the most effective thing we can do." he said, hearing a scoff from the booth. "Stealing cars? Even the weakest Zodiarts do more than that." the wild man said, and Poe shrugged. "We're not trying to attract attention or stick out, Tatsugami. We're simply stalling while our friend deals with personal business elsewhere."

He looked up from the group of empty plates and bowls in front of him. "And what would that be?" he asked, and Poe smiled. "He's training, for lack of a better word. Once he returns, the four of us will move on to the next destination, which we'll decide on the move." he said, the Zodiart laughing as he looked the Kurou up and down. "And you think that I'll just join your group because you gave me my Switch and a meal?" he asked, and Kentaro looked to Poe, partially surprised that he hadn't coerced the wild man to their side sooner. "When my friend returns, I am sure that you two will get along. Infact, I'd even put money on it, since you two are both rather big on fighting." he noted, and Tatsugami chuckled. "Very well. I'll wait for your friend. Maybe I can get a good warm up out of him."

Ata caught the stony fist of the ghoul he trained with, remaining in his untransformed state, noticing that he could likely still defeat a horde of ghouls even without the gauntlet, his insane physical training something he had to thank for that. "You need to move a little faster. If you make what move you're going for obvious, you have to catch them off guard with either speed or a feint." he said, releasing the creature's fists as he grunted, signaling for it to repeat it's motions. The creature rolled it's fists, placing them near it's face in a standard boxing stance before throwing a twisting left jab. Ata stepped back, a right jab following up, Ata leaning to his right and slapping the creature's stony chest lightly.

"You leave yourself too open. Try covering your blind side with a bodyblow or a knee." he instructed, the creature retaking it's stance before stomping forward, throwing a right hook. Ata leaned to his right, seeing that the Ghoul listened, a left bodyblow coming directly at his stomach. However, Ata caught both of his friend's arms, hooking them beneath his as he stepped back, tossing the creature overhead, making sure to toss him hard enough for him to land on his feet, albeit a little wobbly. "Much better. Just remember that you have legs, and that they usually hit harder and have better range than your arms." he said, the Ghoul nodding as it took a slightly broader stance, twitching it's right leg, Ata taking a defensive stance as he gestured for the creature to attack him.

Stopping to rest for a brief moment, Poe stood against the 'Kurainer', choosing to use the name for the machine after all. Kentaro stood next to him, while Tatsugami was still consuming more food than he honestly should. "Something's bugging me about the whole situation with Meteor." Kentaro said, and Poe glanced to him, folding his arms and waiting for him to continue. "I dug into things a bit deeper before we moved the 'Kurainer', and I realized that even if he was held back, there should be no reason for Meteor to still be in high school." he said, and Poe nodded. "Precisely. That's why I chose to do a little digging of my own and look for recent reports. I was rather amused at what I found." he said, readjusting his hat.

"Apparently, the Cosmic Energy that can be sensed from the area has attracted other monsters, and Meteor's job is to take them out covertly and vanish, hence Ata mentioning the presence of Phantoms." he explained, and Kentaro nodded. "That's something. How many are we talking?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "Besides the Phantoms? The report, which came from another Zodiart, says that there might have been an Imagin or two there. Nothing major honestly, and nothing I expect Ata to have a hard time with." he said, and Kentaro nodded as he looked to his left, seeing the large college campus in the distance. "Their Power Dizer Pilot attends school here, right?" he asked, and Poe nodded. Kentaro chuckled, rolling his neck as he pushed himself off of the Kurainer. "Let's go steal me a new car."

Hiro inhaled as he held the phone in his hands, opening his contacts and scrolling down before hesitating. Did he really need to call him? He shook his head, tapping the name as he held the phone to his ear, hearing it ring as he held up his free hand, able to feel static pulsating through his hand as he frowned, clenching his fist and gritting his teeth. "Hiro?" he heard, smiling at the sound of the familiar voice. "Grandfather! How have you been?" he asked, and the man laughed, his eccentric personality discernible even from his laugh. "I've been rather well. What about you? You haven't been causing any trouble, have you?" he asked, and Hiro chuckled. "Of course not. I just called because I was a little worried." he said, going quiet as the man on the other end of the line sighed.

"It happened again, huh?" he asked, and Hiro grunted in confirmation, something that earned him a chuckle. "I understand. Just try not to work yourself up too much. I'll come visit you as soon as possible." he said, and Hiro blinked. "Um, could you stop by Mom and Dad's place first? They haven't seen you in years." he said, and he heard a hearty laugh in return. "Of course! I can reach you guys by tomorrow morning, so why don't we go out for lunch? My treat!" He offered, Hiro smiling and nodding as they bid each other farewell, the boy looking at the phone before shaking his head, patting his face before standing, not about to be a worrywart all day and night.

"So, do you got the plan down?" Ata asked, the stony Ghoul nodding in confirmation as they stood outside the school's gates. The Maori lifted his right hand, exhaling as he used the unusual, dark energy he had access to to make tattered black clothing to hang off of the Ghoul loosely. He held his left hand up, his index finger pointing at the creature as he worked. "Remember what I said. If Meteor attacks, run. If need be, I'll deal with him." he said, and watched as he received a nod in return. He looked to the tattered clothing he created, briefly glancing to his right hand as he wondered what else he could do with the gauntlet before jabbing his chin to the right. "Let's get started." he said, and the stony creature brandished it's trident as it watched the black energy come over Ata.

The stony creature walked onto the school's grounds, thankful for the fact that no one was outside at the moment, quickly advancing past the wide open courtyard and entering the school with no effort, exhaling as he walked through the halls, wondering where he would begin his attack. He felt unusual, realizing that he was about to fake an attack on people, something that he, as a monster, shouldn't be doing. He brandished his trident, turning a corner and walking to the first door. He stepped back, moving to kick the door in and flip desks and the like. However, he hesitated, since he smelled something off, his head turning to the right before a scream rang out from a different class room. The Ghoul grunted, rolling his neck before running towards it, not about to let his mission be ruined by something silly.

He reached a classroom as soon as the students barged from the room, attempting to flee, seemingly in fear. They stopped when they saw him, clad in tattered clothing and wielding a stone trident, fear apparent on their young faces. He grunted, lowering his weapon and stepping back, the students too shocked to question why a monster was stepping out of their way. When the Ghoul managed to get into the room, he noticed another monster, this one black and red in color, and almost lupine in appearance, a girl huddling in the corner, her teacher in front of her. He took a few stony steps into the room, noticing that the creature had it's back to him. He pointed his trident forward, inhaling as the lupine creature took a step forward. "Out of the way old man! My contract holder wants me to kill the girl." he said, and the Ghoul inhaled before charging forward.

He jabbed the creature in the back, eliciting a cry of pain as he rose to a vertical base, the Ghoul stepping back and withdrawing his weapon, moving to jab forward again, the lupine monster whirling around and catching the weapon by the center blade, tearing it from his grip. "The fuck is your problem!? Aren't you a monster too!?" He shouted, the Ghoul balling his fists and hunching down slightly, taking a stance one would expect to see from a boxer. The creature laughed, opening it's broad hands and baring it's long, silver teeth, the stony creature glancing back and chuckling to himself when he realized that the girl and her teacher had both gotten away.

The other monster seemed to pick up on this as well, releasing a frustrated shout as he charged the Ghoul, who was struggling to remember the name his fleshy friend had given him. The Ghoul stepped back, leaning back in tandem before lurching forward and throwing a right hook that struck the creature in the eye, sending it stumbling back into the teacher's desk, the Ghoul watching his foe shove himself off the desk and charge the Ghoul, slamming it's left shoulder into the creature's stony abdomen before continuing to run, sending both of them flying through a wall and into the front courtyard of the school, the Ghoul hitting the ground and rolling free of his foe's grip.

"Is that all you got?" he asked, speaking in a primal, incomprehensible language that only other monsters would understand. The lupine creature growled, charging him and swinging his broad hands, his almost metallic claws raking across the stone on the Ghoul's flesh, the force making him lean to his right, his torso curved to the right as well. Leaning to the left, the Ghoul twisted his stony body and rose to a full, vertical position, throwing a right uppercut that struck the creature in the chest, it's feet coming off the ground as it flew back. The Ghoul watched it hit the ground and roll back to it's feet, blinking when he remembered his name. "You Ghouls are fucking retarded! You should be _helping_ me!" the creature screamed, and the Ghoul tilted his head.

"Me? Help you? I am the great Stallone, why would I help some low level Imagin?" he asked, and the Imagin in question began to groan in frustration. "You're a stuck up piece of shit! I'm gonna kill you too!" he shouted as he charged forward, Stallone exhaling as he shifted his stance, bending his knees as his left arm came up, bending at the elbow and then at the wrist, his right hand resting on his left bicep. However, before the Imagin could reach him, he heard a familiar shriek as a glossy black figure came flying through the air, kicking the Imagin in the left arm and knocking him back. Stallone inhaled, realizing that this was what Ata had warned him about, his stance relaxing slightly as he stared the Kamen Rider down.

The girl and her teacher had managed to escape the monster, thanks to the help of a different monster, one she felt that she'd seen before. "Are you alright?" her teacher asked, and she smiled at him, nodding as they rounded a corner, the male pausing as she looked forward, seeing a creature that looked like a folktale come to life, the orange demon creature standing in the middle of the hall, brandishing a large blade that was slung over his left shoulder, his neck rolling as the girl noticed his ram like horns. "So you're the girl my friend is after, huh? Since he called for me, he must have been really been pissed." he said, and the girl stepped back. "What do you want from me?" she asked, and he shrugged, his doll like eyes locking onto her. "His contract holder wants you gone, and mine just wants me to cause mayhem so that he can get some entertainment out of watching it." he said with a laugh.

"Is that so?" was the next thing the three present heard, the demon creature turning around to see a large body behind him, donning a suit of black armor, black energy seeping through microscopic gaps in his sleek armor, his large white eyes locked onto the Imagin rather intently. "And who might you be?" he asked, and the armored man jabbed his chin out, signaling to the girl and her teacher to flee in the opposite direction. "Me? Just a student passing between classes." he said with a shrug, his blatant lie causing the demon to chuckle. "You've got a good sense of humor, I like that." he said, his blade moving from his shoulder to pointing at Ata as he spoke. Ata chuckled, his right hand opening as he summoned his sword, inhaling as he crouched slightly, the two moving forward slowly.

Ata smiled, able to tell that his current opponent was a well seasoned fighter, something that he appreciated running into every once in a while. He waited for the orange demon to make the first move, a simple downward slash that Ata stepped back from, the black armored fighter analyzing his opponent's form and technique. "Tell me, does your fighting capability have anything to do with your contract holders?" he asked, and the demon shrugged, stepping back and withdrawing his blade, stomping his left foot forward and jabbing at Ata. Ata stepped to his right, jabbing forward himself, noting silently that both of them were right handed, neither of them using a dual handed grip.

"If it does, I was never informed." the demon explained, and Ata hummed, swiping his blade up at an obtuse angle, his arm swinging behind his head. He exhaled, jabbing forward. The demon stepped back, rounding a corner and swinging down in a diagonal arc. Ata hesitated to avoid the attack, mimicking it and striking the creature in the shoulder, watching it stumble back, his eyes glancing outside, seeing Stallone and the lupine monster facing off against Meteor, and not doing so well. "Well, this is something." he said, the brightly colored Imagin looking in the same direction as Ata, noticing his ally. He turned to the armored male, pointing his blade at him. "This isn't over." he said, turning as he ran to aid his friend.

Ata laughed, surprised that it was so easy to get the two Imagin out of the way, Ata inhaling nasally. He caught the girl's scent, humming as he turned to head in her direction, wondering exactly why the demonic creature was targeting her. _It has something to do with a contract of some form. Bu_ _t_ _the orange one isn't the one under contract to attack her._ He noted, closing in on her scent, noticing that instead of fleeing the building, she took shelter in an empty classroom. He entered the room, noticing that the chairs and desks had all been moved to the corner farthest from the entrance, something Ata found ineffective, since it was the biggest target.

"You can come out. It's me." he said, waiting as he watched the girl slowly poke her head out, her childish aura something that amused Ata. "Are you sure?" she asked, and Ata nodded, remembering to keep his armor on, remembering that he couldn't let too many people learn his identity. "Of course. The orange thing got away, though. Do you have anyone who can help you out?" he asked, and she nodded. Ata chuckled, a feigned action that was meant to symbolize a friendly air, despite his possibly menacing appearance. "Any idea why those things would be after you? He mentioned that someone wanted to take you out." he noted, and the girl shook her head. "I have no idea why anyone would come after me." she said, and Ata watched as she walked around the fort of school furniture, analyzing her and exhaling.

 _She's normal, and I can sense that she's telling the truth._ He mused to himself. He flexed his right fist, glancing to it and hesitating when he noticed that the unusual, aquatic texture had returned to his gauntlet. "Well, for now, why not come with me? I'll keep you safe until we meet that friend of yours." he said, holding his right hand out, something the girl nodded in agreement to. Ata narrowed his eyes as she approached him, her hand slowly laying itself in his, the contact of her flesh with his hand causing him to grit his teeth as he felt more power flow into his body. However, a scream from Stallone caused Ata to curse. "Wait for me. I'll be right back." he said, turning and running towards his own friend.

He looked to his hand, the aquatic texture, almost akin to the flesh of a salmon or a jellyfish, seeming to _move_ about as he flexed his hand. _I wonder how much of the wellspring I absorbed._ He mused, realizing that he'd have to touch the girl's flesh with this odd, fickle hand, wondering if it was yet another technique he'd have to learn to master, reaching the front courtyard as Meteor threw some form of right punch, Ata swearing there was an image of a planet coating his fist, the attack causing the red and black creature to explode, the orange demon being thrown back by the blast. Ata approached slowly, watching the orange creature roll to it's feet and curse. "I'll get you for this! And that damned girl, too!" he shouted, turning and fleeing from the premises, Meteor turning to Stallone, who was still standing.

Meteor crouched down, inhaling before shouting, charging forward and pulling his right fist back. His fist came forward, Stallone tensing his dense, almost stony muscles as he prepared for the impact, a black blur crossing past his vision and causing him to hesitate. Meteor grunted in confusion, looking up to Ata and gritting his teeth. "You idiot! What do you think you're doing!?" he shouted, his anger getting the best of him, something Ata made a mental note of. "Me? I'm doing what any man would do, and protecting those I care about." he said, and Meteor scoffed, stepping back and turning to face the school. "Don't make me laugh. Friends with a monster?" he asked, and Ata began to chuckle, his chuckles raising in volume to full laughs.

"Of course! Why shouldn't I befriend a kindred spirit? Because they aren't human?" He quizzed, shaking his head. He began walking towards the school, hesitating when he felt a hand on his right shoulder, Stallone ignoring the situation. "This is your second strike. First you waste time, and now you defend monsters. One more problem like this and I'll have to stop you with force." he said, and Ata tilted his head, beginning to walk again, spreading his arms out wide and turning around. "As I said before, I would love for the chance to fight you. But right now, I have other things to do, so I'll have to pass." He said, turning and waving as he entered the school.

"Are you alright, Stallone?" Ata asked, the duo weaving through the halls of the school, guided about by Ata's nose. The Ghoul nodded, something that made Ata sigh in relief. He smiled and nodded in return as they closed in on the girl's location. "That's good to hear. Was Meteor a problem for you?" he asked, and the Ghoul nodded, a group of grunts emitting from the Ghoul as they reached the room. Ata exhaled when he saw the girl, glad to see that she was safe, choosing to cast away his transformation so that the girl could see his face, not that his face was any more comforting than the helmet of his base form. "Are you alright?" he asked, hearing a nod and grunt in return. Ata sighed, glancing to Stallone. "The orange guy got away, but my friend is safe." he said gesturing to the stony creature, who waved in a friendly fashion.

"Is he a good guy?" she asked, and Ata tilted his head, jabbing his chin to signal for the girl to follow him from the room. "Stallone is my friend, so right now, he's a good guy just like me." he said, and the girl nodded as they made their way to the front entrance of the school. "Since the orange guy is still lurking about, me and Stallone will watch over you until one of us can take him out. Is that okay?" he asked, and the girl nodded. "Do you mind if I talk to someone first? I need to tell him that I'm leaving." she asked, and Ata shrugged. "Do what you want. My job is to keep you safe." he said, the girl bowing and thanking him before jogging down the hall. Stallone grunted, and Ata shrugged. "I'm pretty sure you just asked me if it was okay, right?" he asked, receiving a nod in return.

Ata chuckled, glancing to the left before turning and leaning against the lockers. "It is. You see, based off the things I can smell, the person she's going to talk to is Meteor. He'll want to see whose watching over his woman, and when he realizes it's me, he'll be rather mad, and then we'll set up a time and place to fight." he said, a smile on his face, the Ghoul groaning in response. Ata shrugged in response to the groan, pretending that Stallone was nagging him about the situation, much like Poe would. "Doesn't matter if it doesn't go well for me. Remember, if it doesn't kill you, it makes you stronger." he said, the Ghoul nodding in response, as if he understood the logic behind Ata's actions. Ata flared his nostrils for a moment, chuckling. "And it looks like I was right. The two of them are approaching."

"This really was a bad idea." Poe said, folding his arms and shaking his head as Kentaro began to laugh, a loud, hearty sound that was muffled by the wind in their faces. "Oh come on, it wasn't that bad!" He shouted, and Poe glance to him as they sped down the empty road, his eyes turning behind them before looking back to the Yakuza. "Then explain to me why the Power Dizer is chasing us." he said, and Kentaro glanced in the rear view mirror before applying more pressure to the gas pedal, the distance between them slowly increasing. "He lost his car. Big whoop. It could have been worse." he said dismissively, shrugging as he noticed an intersection up ahead. "Do you even have a way of getting rid of this thing?" Poe asked, and the Yakuza chuckled.

"I got someone who should meet with me tonight. The car will be gone by the morning at latest. Does that make you happy, O Grumpy One?" he asked, and Poe chuckled as Kentaro reached the intersection, jerking the steering wheel to the right as the car rotated, the force causing Poe to grab his hat and reach for the dashboard. The wheel spun back as Kentaro slammed his foot on the gas, humming to himself as he watched the Power Dizer skid through the intersection, chuckling when he realized that there was no way for the mechanical suit, or the man in it, would catch up to them.

"Nice to see you again." Ata said, smiling and waving when Meteor noticed his presence. The other Kamen Rider's jaw clenched as he tried to keep his composure, something Ata noticed. _So she doesn't know that he's Meteor, huh?_ Ata thought, finding it very entertaining. The girl looked between the two, oblivious to Meteor's anger. "You've met him before Ryuusei?" she asked, and he remained silent before grabbing her arm and dragging her in the opposite direction. "Mei, we're leaving." he said, and Ata feigned surprise, looking to Stallone, who only shrugged. "Wait a moment, Ryuusei-San." he said, the smaller male hesitating and looking to Ata, who walked forward with a smile on his face.

"I was merely telling Mei-Chan here that since there's a monster targeting her for some reason that me and my friend here should watch over her for a little bit." he said, and Ryuusei let the girl's arm go, walking up to Ata and glaring at him. "You think this is funny, don't you?" he asked, and the Maori blinked, merely glancing down to him. "I don't know what you mean, _Ryuu-Chan_." he said, managing to mock the other Kamen Rider with a straight face. "I'm going to pay you back for dragging Mei into your bullshit." he said, and Ata nodded. "I understand. I'm pretty sure if you meet me tomorrow afternoon on the bridge to the south, we can discuss this like grown men. I should have managed to defeat the monster targeting Mei-Chan by then." he said, and Ryuusei let out a venomous, airy chuckle.

"So you planned this?" he asked, and Ata blinked. He looked to the girl, who seemed unusually uncomfortable with how angry her boyfriend was at someone she recently met. Ata glanced back to Stallone, who nodded as he walked over to the girl, beginning to escort her from the premises. "Of course I didn't. Things just seem to be going my way. It's like Tumatauenga decided to bless me with as many chances to fight as possible." he said, laughing as he patted the Kamen Rider on the head like a child, turning to follow Stallone, waving his right hand in Ryuusei's direction as he left.

"Why was Ryuusei so angry at you?" Mei asked when Ata caught up, and the big foreigner shrugged. "It seems that Ryuusei-San mistook me protecting you for trying to steal you away from him." he said, and the girl made a confused face. "That's not really like him." she said, and Ata chuckled. "Well, hearing that your girlfriend was attacked by multiple monsters and that she was leaving the school with a big, muscular guy can bring out the worst in someone." he said with a smile, something that seemed to relax the girl. "Although, something else interests me." he said, lifting his right hand and looking at it. "What is it?" she asked, and Ata pointed at her, the gauntlet's scaled armor seeming to roll when close to her.

"My Gauntlet, Ringa-A-Whiro, detected a lot of energy in your body that has the same source as it does. Any idea why that would be?" he asked, and the girl seemed as surprised as he was initially, shaking her head. "That's fine by me. Although, if need be, would you let me try and absorb the rest of it? I somehow managed to absorb a portion of it while the monsters were attacking." he said, and the girl nodded, still seeming slightly confused. "Will anything happen to me when it's all gone?" she asked, and Ata hummed. "I have no idea. This is the first time I've sensed the energy from another person. If it becomes dangerous, I'll leave some of the energy alone." he said.

As the trio moved throughout the city, Ata treating the girl to lunch, he began to think about Ringa-A-Whiro more. Where did the Gauntlet come from? Why couldn't he take it off? Where did his predecessor obtain it? And most importantly, what was the black, dense energy source that powered it? Ata shook his head as he entered the small apartment he was renting, exhaling as he smiled. "I know it's not much, but you can hang out here until I get rid of the monster." he said, rolling his shoulders as he sat on a small couch against the one wall. The girl sat next to him, Stallone choosing to sit on the floor in front of them. Ata moved to speak, but his phone began to ring. He bowed his head, excusing himself from the room as he pulled his phone out, sighing as he put it to his ear.

"Something wrong?" he asked, and he heard a grunt from the other end. "I got the info on that girl you were asking about. Wanna hear it?" Poe asked, and Ata grunted in confirmation, wondering if there was anything interesting about the girl. "Her name is Mei Shirakawa, and she's extremely boring. According to the few remaining Worms roaming about, one of which goes to her school, she's a bland girl who's only notable feature is that she has a huge crush on Ryuusei Sakuta." he explained, and Ata grunted, nodding. "The two of them seem to be a thing from how angry Meteor was that I protected her." he noted, and Poe frowned on the other end. "What do you mean 'protected'?" he asked, and Ata blinked, remembering that Poe wasn't the one with him.

"Right as I went to initiate my plan, a pair of monsters attacked the school. One was a black and red dog creature, and the other was some living folktale of an orange demon. The dog was targeting Mei because of her 'contract holder' and the orange one was teaming up with him because his contract holder wanted him to wreak havoc for entertainment. It was weird." he said, and Poe grunted loudly. "You're damn right it's weird. A pair of Imagins are the last thing we want to deal with." he said, and Ata blinked. "And why is that?" he asked, and Poe groaned. "Because if they fulfill their contract, they'll travel to the past and destroy the world from there. And as far as we both know, that Gauntlet won't let you follow." he explained, and Ata hummed.

"Guess my luck is otherworldly today, because the dog was killed by Meteor, and the demon decided to get revenge for his fallen friend by changing his objective to killing Mei." he said, and Poe sighed, something Ata couldn't discern the meaning of. "Where is Mei right now?" he asked, and Ata glanced to his door. "The apartment I'm renting. She's there with Stallone, this 'Ghoul' that I met." he explained, and Poe exhaled, a sound Ata could tell was accompanied by the Kurou pinching the bridge of his nose. "That's good. We've found a reliable ally and a few Switches we can use as backup, and made a decent chunk of money stealing a car as well. We'll start heading your way tomorrow. Try to take out that Imagin before we arrive tomorrow evening or late tomorrow night." he said, and Ata nodded, smiling and rolling his left shoulder. "I gotcha." he said, the two bidding each other farewell before hanging up.

Ata scratched his head as he walked the night time streets of Subaraboshi, grumbling to himself as he thought. _How am I gonna find that thing?_ He wondered, thinking to the orange demon that Poe referred to as an 'Imagin', monsters that caused a fuss back in 2007. With Mei resting back at his apartment under Stallone's supervision, would it be best to simply sit around and wait? Ata shook his head, folding his arms as he sighed. _Would an Imagin really change their objective if all they want is to fly to the past and destroy it?_ He wondered, realizing that the only person who would know about the monster that plagued him was Poe.

"Changing objectives? It's possible." Poe said a few minutes later, Ata able to tell that the Kurou was rather drowsy, as if he'd been woken up by his brother's call. "But could the thing still travel time by killing Mei?" he asked, and Poe grunted. "Of course not. Since he made a contract with someone to fuck shit up, he has to fuck shit up adequately and then return to his contract holder to do that. Unless of course he fucks shit up adequately _while_ killing that girl." he noted, and Ata grunted in frustration. "So my best bet is to either sit around and wait for him to make a move, or to somehow hunt down his contract holder, huh?" he asked, slightly bitter hat he couldn't just get the fighting over with now.

Poe chuckled. "I'd say that it'd be simple to sit around and wait, but I remember that I'm talking to you of all people. If you want to hunt down the contract holder, simply sneak onto the school grounds tomorrow and talk about the monster attacks. Whoever seems either guilty or overly enthused is your guy. And all you have to do from there is threaten to kill the kid, since the Imagin will die with him if the contract isn't completed." he said, and Ata nodded, thanking his brother for the information before hanging up, his head now cleared as he continued to walk through the moonlit streets.

"Have any of you guys seen Hikari?" Right asked, the train rangers making an unplanned visit at the Igasaki Dojo. The five ninja glanced amongst each other, realizing that they hadn't. "We were actually considering asking you guys if you've seen Yakumo, since we haven't seen him all day." Kasumi said, and Tokacchi chuckled, a nervous sound that seemed off. "You guys don't think that they went to that kid's parent's house, do you?" he asked, a joking question that was taken rather seriously. "Something is off with those guys, and I don't get it." Takaharu said, folding his arms and glancing to the ceiling in confusion. "But why would they go to someone's house? Do you think they really saw something from Hiro-San that we didn't?" Kagura asked, and Kasumi nodded, the pink ninja finding it possible.

"Yakumo isn't the kind of person to take being embarrassed lightly. If something happened that we didn't see, he'd try to prove it so that he doesn't get humiliated." she noted, and Mio nodded herself, realizing that Hikari was similar. "Do we know where this house is?" she wondered, and Akira shook his head. "No, and I doubt that kid would be very keen on telling us where his parents live with how those two acted the other day." he noted, and the rest of the people in the room nodded, realizing that he was right. Before they could continue working on their problem, the Toad Toad Guns went off, and the Igasakis groaned, realizing that they had to stop worrying about their missing family member to fight the next Yokai.

Ata didn't honestly think it would be so easy to get onto the school's premises, but when the teacher he saved saw him, he was more than happy to cover for the big foreigner, something Ata found rather admirable. _Gotta remind myself to thank him again before I leave._ He thought, scratching his head as he leaned against one of the walls, watching the children walk to and fro between classes, ignoring the gazes that came his way. He scanned the children as they walked past the hole in the wall, watching to see if any of them seemed too interested in the damaged structure. When a few of the kids stopped by it, Ata tilted his head, straining his hearing to figure out what they were saying.

He snickered when he couldn't hear anything, pushing himself off the wall when he noticed one of the kids being enthusiastic, much more so than his fellow students. He walked over to the kids, who instantly noticed his presence. _Four of them, none with noticeable physical skill._ Ata thought, analyzing them just incase. "You guys know what happened here yesterday?" he asked, and the kids looked between each other. "Are you with the cops?" one of the kids asked, and Ata blinked, shrugging. "You could say that. A friend of mine is a cop, and one of the teachers here let me look around to help my buddy out." he said, the children seeming to buy the lie.

One of the kids, a slightly taller kid with his hair tied back in a small ponytail, stepped forward and nodded. "It was awesome! There was this dude in black armor, and he was fighting some demon!" he said, and Ata narrowed his eyes, his nostrils flaring, trying to see if he could get the demon's scent off of the child. Instead, he smelled sand, his eyes glancing down to the boy's feet, where sure enough, there was a small pile of sand around his feet. Ata sighed, shaking his head. "Sorry about this Kiddo." he said, making the kid blink as Ata grabbed him by the shirt, hoisting him up in the air as he walked out of the hole in the wall, humming an old Maori lullaby to himself.

"Where are you taking me!?" The kid asked, panicked as Ata walked off of the premises with the kid in tow. "To a place where I can fight the monster you made a deal with without hurting anyone." he said, and the kid blinked, realizing that his relationship with the monster had been discovered. "I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt, I swear!" he shouted, and Ata glanced to him, sitting him on the ground. He watched the kid look around, noticing that they were on a bridge, one that was empty. "Nobody got hurt actually. My real friend, another monster, told me that I could get the Imagin to appear by threatening you, if only jokingly." he said, and the kid gulped, the little amount of color on his face beginning to drain.

Ata put a hand on his shoulder, smiling in a fashion that was _meant_ to be comforting. "Do me a favor and stay still. It could get bad if you don't." he said, and before the child could do anything besides release a confused squeak, Ata grabbed him by the shirt, whistling as he walked over to the edge of the bridge and swung the boy's body over the edge, the child screaming as his legs dangled over empty air, the only thing beneath a shallow river, and the rocks at the bottom of it. "I'm pretty sure that if I let go, that Imagin will save you. Wanna bet on it?" Ata asked, and the kid glanced back to him, shaking his head in fear. Ata sighed, shrugging as he released the child, a scream filling the air as he fell to the shallow river below.

Ata rolled his shoulder, snapping his fingers as he summoned his gauntlet to the surface, looking to his left and smiling. "Looks like Poe was right after all." he said, watching the demon lay his contract holder down peacefully before sighing. He stood, walking over the child's unconscious frame as he cracked his neck, Ata smiling as he stepped away from the edge. "You don't seem like the type of person to randomly put innocent people in danger." he said, and Ata chuckled, shrugging his shoulders as he watched the orange demon close in. "If you were to succeed in killing Mei, he'd be guilty as well, since he made the contract that gave you a corporeal form. By the beliefs of my people, he'd have to be taken down as well."

The demon chuckled, watching as Ata closed his eyes, an emerald wind blowing past his vision, the sound of grinding blades coming from behind the wind, which was dispersed with a right backfist. Ata rolled his neck, glancing down to the emerald armor that coated his body. "Shall we continue from where we left off?" Ata asked, and the demon chuckled, swinging his sword over his shoulder as Ata drew both of Gabi Raizou's blades. "Interesting choice in form, Human." the demon said, and Ata chuckled, banging the blades together before grinding them, his stance broadening as the blades slowly screeched along each other. The demon pulled the blade from his shoulders, shouting as he charged forward, the blade spinning around his right shoulder as he came down.

Ata blocked with both of his blades, exhaling as he gauged his opponent's strength from the single attack. He shoved the demon's blade back, swinging both blades down in a diagonal arc from right to left, noticing that they only scraped along his armor like flesh, Ata using the momentum to spin, throwing a left kick into the demon's midsection. Both warriors stepped back, slowly circling each other. Ata jabbed forward with his right blade, the demon stepping back and swinging inward from right to left, his blade slamming against Ata's chestplate and shoving him back. Ata took an extra step back, watching the demon take two steps to the right before pulling his blade back and charging.

 _Using two smaller blades actually puts me at a disadvantage._ Ata noted as he stepped back from a downward swing, jabbing both blades forward and pushing his foe back, dropping his stance and coming down with his left blade, hopping in place as he struck with his right, knocking the demon back, but not damaging his flesh. _Looks like I'll have to bludgeon him to death with how hard that armor or flesh is._ He noted, blinking when he realized something. He grunted, both of his blades against his shoulder, blocking the larger blade of his foe. Ata fell back, tossing his foe overhead and rolling back to his feet in time with the Imagin.

Ata jabbed forward with his right blade, watching as the demon swung his massive blade in the same fashion, an inward strike that moved from right to left. Ata rotated his body, using his shorter blade and swinging at his foe's hand. Pulling his right arm out of the way of his foe's strike, his left blade struck his foe in the back of the hand, causing him to grunt and stumble forward to keep hold of his sword. Ata rolled to the left in a counter clockwise fashion, summoning the air around him to his blade and coming down on the Imagin's back, watching as a shallow wound was cut into his back, Ata shoving the demon forward as he rotated to face his foe. He waited for his opponent to stand straight and face him, watching as he placed both hands on his blade. Ata narrowed his eyes, analyzing his stance.

 _A Kendo stance. But is it for speed or power?_ He wondered, stepping back and lowering his stance, both warriors circling each other once again. His opponent dashed forward, and Ata realized that his stance was also meant to aid with his speed. He watched his opponent come down, Ata blocking by lifting both blades overhead. However, the increased speed and power broke Ata's block as both blades clattered from his grip, a second, quick jab striking him in the chest and knocking him back. Ata quickly summoned the sword he used in his base form, a gust of wind blowing past as mist from the river washed past them. Ata hesitated, noticing that the mist began to pool on his blade, the point beginning to drip as another gust blew by, Ata watching the water pool in front of him.

He looked back to his opponent, exhaling as he swung with one hand, a right handed uppercut swing that moved from right to left, Ata watching as the water flew from his blade in a crescent shape, striking his foe and knocking off his focus. Ata shifted the blade into his left hand, the gem in the back of his gauntlet shifting to it's original color as he ran forward, switching back to his original form. He grabbed the blade in both hands as he came down, striking the demon in the right shoulder before freeing his right hand and throwing a straight punch into the demon's eyes, watching him stumble back. _So after wind comes water, huh?_ He wondered, taking a step back as he inhaled. The Imagin slowly regained his composure, Ata glancing to the two blades laying on the ground next to him. He picked up the katana, the curved blade residing in his left hand with the broadsword in his right.

He stomped on the hilt of the shorter blade, using the air around him to launch it at the Imagin like a knife, the orange demon barely able to block the flying weapon. However, his block was instinctual, an upward swing that left his midsection unguarded. Ata timed his charge with another gust of misty wind, the water and air wrapping around each of his blades as he swung them inward like a pair of scissors, striking the Imagin and causing him to call out, the elemental boost to the weapons breaking his guard and piercing his flesh. His sword clattered to the ground as Ata raked the blades along each of his sides, blood spewing from two huge gashes on his sides. Ata rolled his shoulders before flicking the blood from his blades.

"I-Incredible." the demon managed to stutter out between coughs, something Ata nodded in thanks to as he dropped his stance and jabbed his blades at the asphalt, blue light beginning to surround them as he slowly rotated them out and around him in broad half circles. " _Garyudo.. Raigen Giri!_ " Ata called as he swung the blades inwards horizontally, two blades of lightning flying at the Imagin as Ata's arms rolled above his head before he threw them down, another pair of lightning blades flying forward, all four striking the Imagin as he called out, an odd scream that was deafened by his body exploding. Ata whistled at the explosion before turning to the unconscious kid and sighing as he cast away his transformation, snapping his fingers to recall all of the weapons, including the Imagin's large sword.

Ata sighed as he sat on the side of the river, glancing up to the bridge. _I was able to manipulate the water from the breeze, but it might just be my wind abilities acting up._ He thought, dipping the gauntlet into the water and exhaling as he removed it, watching the water drip from the fingers. He flexed his hand, watching the droplets of water freeze, Ata rolling his fingers as the droplets slowly closed in on each other before blending into a small ball. Ata stretched his fingers, watching as the ball morphed into the shape of a wolf, Ata rolling his wrist back as the miniature water wolf threw it's head back, as if howling. Ata shook his hand, watching it fall to the river below as he stood, noticing Meteor on the bridge above him. He lifted his right hand, looking to the gauntlet, noticing that the gem in the back was now a vibrant sapphire.

"Glad you didn't miss out on this, Ryuusei." Ata said as he reached the bridge, the man in question spinning to see the bronze skinned man. He scoffed, Ata noticing that his foe didn't seem to like locking eyes with him. "Let's get this over with." he said, throwing the jacket of his school uniform off, Ata glancing down to the elaborate belt he wore. Ata shrugged, holding out his right hand as the gem in the back of his gauntlet returned to it's original color. "That's fine by me." he said, flexing his hand as the dark energy flowed from underneath the gauntlet and covered his skin, his body rolling in anticipation as a beam of blue light stuck Meteor, Ata throwing his right hand to the side as he flicked his wrists before taking his Pea Kapunga stance.

Meteor rose to his feet, Ata noticing that he dropped to one knee while transforming. He rolled his shoulders before balling his right fist. "My name is Meteor." he said, running his thumb along his helmet where his nose would be. "And your fate lies in my hands." he said, and Ata blinked, shrugging. He relaxed his posture, grumbling to himself momentarily. "I am the Maori Knight." he responded, retaking his stance when he realized that Poe had yet to help him with catch phrases and the like. "And I think you're full of shit." he said, jabbing a finger in the other Kamen Rider's direction, Ata watching him make the first move.

Yakumo and Hikari panted, their bodies worn from their recent fight. They looked down to the monster, it's limp form not any less intimidating. Hikari kicked it's bright red flesh, blocky, fleshy braids around it's avian face shaking like wind chimes. "According to a couple people I talked to, this is called a Mirror Monster. Although, what a 'Mirror Monster' was doing wandering around is beyond me." he said, and Yakumo nodded. "My Professor mentioned that if we want to combat time related magick, that we'd have to disable the target before the magick can be used." he said, and Hikari grunted. "That'll be a pain." he said as they walked closer to the house.

The body behind them screeched as it rose from the ground, shaking itself free of dirt and dust as it's wounds slowly began to close. "Pain in the ass bird." Hikari growled, pulling his gun and firing repeatedly, each bullet striking the native looking bird, but none doing any lasting damage, as it kept stalking forward. Yakumo pulled his sword, charging the beast and swinging down and striking it in the shoulder, Hikari spinning around his blue ally with the Tunnel Axe and striking the creature in the small of the back, sending it tumbling forward as Yakumo rolled out of the way. The two ran forward, striking it in the back before rolling around and striking it in the chest, the worn down monster beginning to show signs of fatigue as it hit the ground.

"Hold him off." Hikari said as he pulled the green train from his morpher, pulling out the gold train as Yakumo ran forward, swinging down and striking the monster as Hikari exhaled, rolling his shoulders after entering his Hyper Form. He pulled a large cannon from seemingly nowhere, loading the gold and green trains into it and cocking it as the train in the center rotated. Yakumo grunted as he was kicked in the chest, hitting the ground and rolling back to his feet before jumping and coming down. The train rotated again as Yakumo rolled to his feet, running forward and ducking under a wild right from the creature, rising to his feet and throwing a left mule kick that struck the creature in the back of the head.

The monster stumbled forward before spinning and screeching, the train rotating again. Yakumo stepped back, pulling his Toad Toad Gun and firing, striking the creature in the eyes and making it stumble. He ran forward with a shout, striking the creature with a flurry of wild strikes from behind as the cannon cocked twice more, the train rotating twice. It rotated for a fifth time as Yakumo swapped out the shuriken in his blade, spinning it with a flick of his thumb as flames erupted around his blade, Yakumo ducking under a wild left hand from the monster before coming up and striking in the chest as the train rotated for the final time. The ninja leapt over the monster as it turned to face Hikari, who pulled the trigger with a shout, the train shaped energy blast flying and striking the monster in the abdomen.

A wild screech was heard as the creature fell back before exploding, the two panting heavily as they wobbled in place, Yakumo more than Hikari. "Thank god that's over." Yakumo said as he casted away his transformation. Hikari nodded as he did the same, turning back to the house. "What kind of approach should we use?" the magickal ninja asked, and the train ranger sighed as he slowly regained his composure. "It depends. Should we go in and kidnap them for information?" he asked, and Yakumo shook his head. "No, because then we'd be no better than the Yokai, or the Shadows." he said, and Hikari grunted in agreement. "Then we should talk to them. Kidnap if anything goes wrong." he said, and Yakumo nodded as they approached the house.

They looked to each other before knocking on the door, which creaked open on it's own. They looked to each other in confusion before pushing the door open and stepping inside slowly, glancing about. They noticed that nothing was wrong, and that the house seemed extremely normal, from the white walls to the hardwood floors and the pictures and paintings dotting the walls. They split, Yakumo heading upstairs while Hikari headed towards the kitchen. Hikari found nothing unusual, as the food in the fridge was all fresh, none of the meats or containers seeming out of place, the granite counter empty of anything incriminating. The train ranger snickered, leaving the room and glancing to Yakumo, neither of them finding anything out of the ordinary.

They moved to a small bedroom that was downstairs, the duo noticing that Hiro's name was on the door. They nodded as they reached for the nob, turning it slowly as they opened the door, seeing posters on the wall of other Kamen Riders and Sentai teams, the Gekirangers in particular. They swung the door open, both of them taking a step back when they noticed a man sitting in a chair, looking out the window, his short gray hair letting them know that he wasn't the youngest fellow. "So you're the ones that got my grandson all bent out of shape?" he asked, glancing back to them without standing. "And who are you?" Hikari asked, the man sighing as he rose to his feet.

He shook his head. "Is that really what you ask someone after breaking into their house?" he asked, and the two looked between each other. The green ranger wasn't in the best mood, and he stepped into the room, the man looking to Hikari's feet as he walked past the threshold into the room. "So this is what Sentai guys are doing nowadays, huh? I remember back when you guys were famous for helping people." he said with an arrogant chuckle. "I don't have time for your antics, Old Man. I'm here to learn about Hiro and his ability to stop time." he said, and the man rose both of his brows. "Now hold on right there. Hiro might be a little different, but he's not stopping you, much less time itself." he said.

Yakumo folded his arms. "We've both witnessed it. You can't tell us otherwise." he said and the man shrugged with a chuckle as he walked forward, the heels of his boots clacking against the wooden floor. He pointed at the two of them, wagging his finger before chuckling. "Why don't we take this outside? I'll tell you whatever you want to know." he said, the duo looking to each other before nodding and slowly retreating from the house, the elderly man in tow. When he stepped outside, he exhaled. "See? Isn't it much better to talk out in this fresh morning air?" he asked, the duo not in the mood for his jovial attitude.

"Where are his parents?" Hikari asked, Yakumo glancing to the train ranger and noticing that he seemed extremely bothered by everything, as if his emotions were being amplified. "They went to visit little Hiro after I talked to them. I plan on visiting him after I'm done here as well." he said, spreading his long arms wide, as if to show he wasn't anything more than an old man wearing a long sleeve shirt, jeans, boots and gloves. There were no hidden weapons, no horns or tails, and no other notable things about the man except his arrogant attitude. "And who exactly are you?" Yakumo asked, the man rubbing his hands together. "Hiro's grandfather." he said, and Hikari grit his teeth as he grabbed the man by the collar.

"I don't have time for your shit, Old Man! Either tell me the truth about that _evil_ little worm or I'll go force it out of him!" he shouted, and Yakumo took a step forward, slowly beginning to think he should interfere. The elderly man looked from Hikari to his hand, sighing as he looked to the sky. "Kids these days." he said, absentmindedly. He reached out, grabbing Hikari's hand and pulling it from his shirt, throwing the kid to the side as he dusted himself off. Hikari held his arm out, his morpher beginning to release noise as he pulled the green train from his jacket pocket. The old man nodded in understanding, another sigh escaping his lips. "I knew it was going to end up like this." he said, and Yakumo narrowed his eyes before his breath caught in his throat.

"Hikari! Don't do it! He brought us outside for a reason!" He shouted, the train ranger not hearing, somehow blinded by rage as his body was covered in a flash of light as he ran forward, the ToQger's signature sword in his hand. He came down, the man ducking underneath and weaving around Hikari before shaking his head. "So you Sentai fellows have gotten both younger _and_ weaker? Shame." he said, chopping Hikari in the back and sending him tumbling towards Yakumo. The man turned to them and made a face, a lopsided smile that was also a frown. "Are you kids gonna go play, or am I gonna have to teach you guys a lesson?" He asked, and Hikari rose to his feet, releasing a bellow of rage as he switched the train in his morpher from the Green Ressha to the Hyper Ressha.

The man nodded, a solemn motion that was accompanied by his right hand rising into the air, level with his chest. He reached to it with his left hand, grabbing the leather glove and sighing before pulling the glove off, the two young superheroes hesitating at the sight of a silver hand made of metallic coils.

 _DONE! Finally finished this after so long lol. I do hope you enjoy this, as it took a little while because of the research that was needed for it lol. I hope you enjoyed reading it, because I really enjoyed writing it lol. Thanks for everything, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF Inc._


	8. Haka 8: Tuarangi Toa

_Jiro here for the eighth chapter of this fic! I'm happy with how well it's coming along, but I gotta say that it'll probably slow down soon, since I gotta put a lot of research and effort into the rest of the story so it's not lackluster, or any more lackluster, if you aren't a fan. Regardless, I do hope you enjoy this chapter, as it'll probably be one of my favorite chapters to write for a while lol. Thanks for everything, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF Inc._

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"What happened to you guys?" Takaharu asked as Yakumo and Hikari were dragged into the main room of the Igasaki Dojo. The magickal ninja collapsed to the ground before rolling to his back and coughing. "Hikari lost it and Hiro's grandfather beat us. He made it seem _easy._ " he wheezed out, his body extremely sore. Hikari rolled slightly, propping himself up on his right elbow as he looked to Yakumo. "Don't blame me!" he shouted, coughing as he fell back. "If you would have been as devoted to slaying _evil_ as I was, we wouldn't be having this problem!" he shouted, the effort he put into his shouting causing him to wince and clutch his chest, his heartbeat irregular.

"So you guys went to _somehow_ get information out of a kid's parents about something you guys probably imagined, and then you get beat up by an old guy?" Takaharu asked, and Yakumo shook his head as he panted. "He wasn't any ordinary old man. His hands…. They were _metal._ " he said, and the group looked amongst each other. "He had some form of transformation. It was _mortifying._ Those _eyes..._ " Hikari wheezed, trailing off as he shuddered, both of them slowly losing consciousness from their injuries. Kasumi sighed as she stood, shaking her head. "Both of them appear to have been electrocuted by something with an incredible amount of electric power. It's like they were struck by lightning." she noted, and the rest of them looked amongst each other, worried about the wellbeing of the two unconscious superheroes.

Ata took a step back, exhaling as he followed Meteor's movements closely, analyzing his fighting style to see if it was any different from what he expected. He swung his right hand down, slapping Meteor's left fist down before lowering his stance and throwing a left palm strike. Meteor rolled around the strike, throwing a left butterfly kick that struck Ata in the side of the head, the larger Kamen Rider stumbling forward before spinning and exhaling. Meteor threw a wide right hook, Ata ducking underneath and throwing a right palm strike to his foe's abdomen, shoving him back enough to follow up with a left hooking palm to the side of the head, Meteor taking his turn stumbling. Ata followed up with a straight right palm, striking Meteor in the chest and sending him stumbling back.

Ata watched his opponent closely, using his Pea Kapunga as a way to gauge his opponent's capability, and as a way to tell which fighting style would be most effective. He ducked under a well placed spin kick, Meteor stopping with his back to Ata, throwing both of his elbows back and striking Ata in the stomach. Ata chuckled when he recognized the fighting style, slapping Meteor's palms away in quick succession as his mind continued to work, taking in each strike and measuring how much effort was put into each fist, feeling the gusts of wind from avoiding kicks, and feeling his foe's muscles tense from when he was struck. He dropped his stance, striking Meteor in the back with a straight left palm, rising back to a vertical base before switching his fighting stance, something that caused the other Kamen Rider to hesitate.

"What do you think you're doing!?" he shouted, and Ata shrugged his shoulders slowly. "Switching fighting styles. The first one I use is a defensive style that in fights like this I use to test you." he said, smiling underneath his helmet. The other Kamen Rider's gaze moved to the ground as his fists clenched. "So you're toying with me!?" He shouted, and Ata shrugged, an action that seemed to goad on the glossy suited fellow, who charged Ata with an enraged shout. Ata leaned to his right, avoiding a right jab. He responded with a right cross, striking his foe in the chest and knocking him back enough for Ata to straighten his stance and throw a left palm strike. "If you keep fighting like this, I won't even move past my second fighting style." he said absentmindedly.

His opponent growled, throwing a straight right jab. Ata threw his left hand out, chopping Meteor's wrist before rolling his hand to grab his forearm. Meteor threw a left bodyblow, striking Ata in the stomach and doing little damage, the larger fighter ignoring the attack. Ata pulled back, placing his palm on Meteor's abdomen before tossing him overhead, the other fighter spinning and landing on his feet as Ata turned to face him. "You sure you wanna fight me? You aren't acting like it." he said, resisting the urge to laugh. He took a casual step forward, pointing at his opponent, knowing full well that he seemed rather irate. "Mei tells me that deep down you don't like fighting. Seems like she was right." he said with a shrug, glancing down to the other Kamen Rider as he smiled.

Meteor screamed in anger, throwing a hard right hand into Ata's chest and sending him flying back, his feet coming off the ground. "Don't you _ever_ say Mei's name again!" he shouted, watching Ata crash to the ground and roll back. Meteor heard a hum before the black suit of armor flipped back to it's feet, Ata glancing down to his chest before slapping it. "I get it now." he said, turning to his opponent and reassuming his Tiger Fist fighting stance. "The Imagin that came after Mei was sent by Tomoko, wasn't it?" he asked, and the other fighter hesitated, as if surprised by something. "How do you know about her?" he asked, and Ata slapped his chest as he began closing in.

Ata stopped short, throwing a right palm strike that was avoided, Meteor stepping to his left. Ata rolled his torso, using his extended arm like one end of a staff as he followed up with a broad left palm, striking his opponent in the arm and knocking him to the ground before stepping back. "It's a unique capability I have. I can learn everything about a given situation or person just by fighting them. How much I learn is usually connected to how much I want to fight them." he said, watching the other male rise to his feet. "So, when you bruised my ribs with that punch, I learned everything I needed to know. The black Imagin made a contract with Tomoko, your _other_ girlfriend, to get rid of Mei after she found out there was another woman. And, since I learned this from you, I wager a guess that you knew, or assumed." he said, his opponent merely scoffing in response.

Ata shrugged as he reassumed his fighting stance. "Don't deny it. The fuck would I care about your love life? I'm here to fight." he said, stomping forward and throwing a right hook. Meteor leaned to his right, throwing a right punch into Ata's chest. The big foreigner allowed his body to move back from the blow, a straight right kick to his chest making him take a step back. _He'll go for a left high kick next._ Ata thought, watching as Meteor did exactly what he predicted, Ata exhaling as he stepped back, curling his fingers as if he had claws. He came down with his left hand, striking Meteor's extended leg and knocking it down, his right hand swinging in a wide arc and striking Meteor in the side of the head. Ata watched him stumble, stepping forward and grabbing his left arm with his own left arm.

He tugged his opponent back, a right palm to the skull, knocking him off of his feet. Ata stepped forward and spun, watching his opponent rise back to his feet. "Calm down. With the state you're in, there's no fun in fighting you." he said, stepping back from a right jab and responding with a left palm to the chest. "If you stay angry, your fighting style gets sloppy, almost like a street fighter's style." he noted as he spun around a left hook, a chop to the left shoulder blade sending the shorter male stumbling forward. "Shut the fuck up!" Meteor shouted, and Ata sighed as he stepped back from a left high kick, hearing some form of noise erupt from Meteor's belt while his back was turned. When the other Kamen Rider spun around, Ata saw an image of Saturn on his hand and wrist, a hooking swipe sending a projectile in the shape of the planet's rings at Ata.

The big foreigner grunted when he was struck, his feet grinding against the ground as he slid back. When he stopped, he exhaled and rolled his shoulders, patting his chest as smoke began to secrete from his armor. "That's more like it." he said, reassuming his fighting stance before running forward. Meteor struck preemptively, a right kick to the chest that he followed up with a right jab to the chest. Ata responded with a hooking right palm, watching his opponent roll in a counterclockwise circle, striking his left shoulder with a spinning backfist, offsetting Ata's posture enough to follow up with a trio of spinning kicks that knocked Ata back, the Maori grunting as he regained his composure. He narrowed his eyes, humming to himself as he stretched his fingers, feeling the energy roll around his fingers and harden, sharpening into claws. Ata rolled his shoulders as he lowered his stance, slightly inhaling.

 _If this keeps up, I'll have to shift to Wuhuri Kapunga._ Ata thought, glad that he'd have to end up taking the fight seriously soon, the two slowly closing in on each other. Meteor threw a left cross, Ata twisting his chest to the right and raking the claws of his left hand down Meteor's chest, following up with a left uppercut, his claws hooking under the odd blue armoring across his chest, Ata lifting him overhead and throwing him back, running after him and hopping, slamming both of his palms into his foe's airborne chest and slamming him to the ground. Meteor grunted in pain, his leg flying up and striking Ata in the side of the head as he rolled to his feet, throwing a right hook. Ata leaned to his left, throwing a hooking left palm that Meteor stepped back to avoid, stepping forward to throw a high left kick.

Ata was struck in the chest, stepping back before lurching forward with a pair of overhead claw swipes that the glossy suited Kamen Rider barely avoided, using the opening to throw a jumping left knee into Ata's face, following up by using the momentum to dropkick Ata in the chest and flip to land on his feet. Ata laughed, rolling his shoulders as he threw a left spin kick, Meteor blocking with his right forearm, throwing a left kick at Ata's abdomen, striking the big foreigner, who caught his leg and hopped in place, a hopping left palm striking Meteor in the chest and knocking him to the ground, Ata using the leg he held onto to pull his opponent back into the air, releasing his leg and slamming both palm's into his opponent's chest, hearing a crack from the blue armor on his chest as he flew back. Ata watched him roll in air and land on his feet, Ata chuckling in amusement.

Ata began flexing and rolling all of his muscle to assess the amount of damage he'd taken, analyzing his body while watching his opponent close in. _Left shoulder hurts, ribs on the right are a bit damaged, and I'm probably the slightest bit concussed. Not too much damage for a fight that's lasted a few minutes._ He thought to himself as he stepped back from a right spinning kick, moving forward to throw a right palm strike. However, Meteor countered with a left mule kick, striking Ata in the jaw and causing him to stumble back and grunt. _Think I just chipped a tooth or two on that one._ He thought in amusement, rolling his neck and shifting his focus as he was struck with a left bodyblow that was followed up with a right. Ata jabbed his head forward, his skull colliding with Meteor's to knock him back and create space.

Ata threw a right claw swipe, his opponent using his left forearm to block, closing in with a right jab. Ata closed his left hand, throwing a left cross that Meteor countered by shooting his right leg out and hooking Ata's left. He pulled back, offsetting Ata's posture enough to roll over the larger male's back and spin, tripping him with a low left kick before throwing a straight right kick into his midsection to send him flying back. Ata hit the ground and skid, shifting his weight to roll and bounce, landing on his feet and exhaling. He cursed, immediately rolling to his left to avoid another ring shaped projectile as he rose back to his full height once more, grunting at the right foot that landed in his chest. _He's starting to get serious._ Ata thought, stepping back and slapping Meteor's left fist down, a left claw swipe striking his opponent and creating space.

Ata stepped forward, following up with a hard right elbow, his eyes locked on his opponent's posture. When Ata saw his foe's arms moving to block, he threw a left hooking palm that struck Meteor in the stomach. Meteor took a step back, moving forward with a left jab to the chest that caused Ata to grunt, a right high step kick striking the Maori in the side of the head and sending him stumbling back. Ata hopped in place to throw his opponent off, a high feint that worked, allowing him to throw a low hooking left claw swipe that he followed up with a right palm. He moved to follow up with a left roundhouse kick, Meteor able to throw his hands up to block his opponent's large leg, pushing it away and offsetting Ata's balance before throwing a left bodyblow that he followed up with a left cross, the step back that Ata took enough for Meteor to throw a straight right kick into his chest and create more space.

Ata chuckled as he patted his chest, flicking his wrists as he stepped forward and threw a right haymaker that Meteor ducked underneath, rising up and throwing a right uppercut that he followed up with a left jab and a right cross. Ata grit his teeth, noticing that his opponent's power was steadily increasing while his own plateaued. He ducked under a left hook, twisting his body to the left and throwing a pair of right kidney shots that he followed up with a left palm to the abdomen to create space, his mind moving at a rapid pace as he gauged multiple things. He stepped back from a left side kick, stepping to his own left and throwing a hooking left roundhouse kick that struck Meteor in the chest and knocked him to the ground, Ata stepping back and exhaling.

 _I need him to get serious so I can completely gauge his power._ He thought, remembering that one of his most effective weapons was his tongue, remembering how agitated his opponent got when he mentioned Mei. He stepped back from a right jab, throwing a right hook that struck his opponent in the chest. "You aren't taking this seriously, are you?" he asked, his mind thinking about what he could say to agitate his opponent while his body moved on reflexes, catching his opponent's fists in each palm before kicking him in the abdomen, watching the glossy suited fellow fly through the air and land on his feet. "I can tell that your power is steadily increasing, which means that you aren't really going all out." he noted, rubbing the chin of his helmet and smiling beneath it.

"Would you fight a little more seriously if I told you where Mei is?" he asked, and his opponent hesitated, Ata able to feel his own muscles rolling as he grew more enthused. "If I'm right, Mei is currently walking around town with my friend Stallone, that stony monster you tied to kill the other day. I could send him a signal, and he'd end her without the slightest hesitation." he explained, knowing full well that neither he nor Stallone would do anything of the sort. His opponent screamed, a loud, almost vengeful sound that Ata sighed upon hearing. His hands balled into fists, rising up as his left leg slightly lifted off the ground. He watched the other Kamen Rider charge him, inhaling once before moving himself.

Ata spun, coming down with a right elbow, his opponent stepping back to avoid it. Meteor stepped forward, rolling over his opponent's back, Ata humming at the action before Meteor threw a hard right elbow into his left kidney. Ata cursed, responding instinctively with a spinning left backfist that Meteor ducked under, rising up and flipping backwards, throwing an overhead right kick that Ata blocked with his forearms, Meteor's other leg snapping down and striking Ata's forearms, breaking his guard as he stepped back. Meteor hit the ground, throwing a right spinning backfist that Ata again blocked with his forearm, the foreigner exhaling before stepping forward, a left forearm striking Meteor in the back of the head. The other Kamen Rider turned to face Ata, his fists still clenched in anger.

Ata threw a left high kick that was blocked by a pair of forearms, Meteor throwing a left mid kick to Ata's chest, shoving Ata's leg to the side before throwing a right cross. Ata exhaled, throwing a left vertical elbow, striking his opponent's hand and countering his punch, taking a hard step forward and slamming his right elbow into his foe's skull, creating enough space for Ata to rotate his right wrist and follow up with a backfist that sent his opponent stumbling back. Using the space created by his strikes, Ata swung his left leg, Meteor ducking under Ata's leg before rising up and throwing a right uppercut, Ata putting his forearms in front of his face as he grunted, stepping back before leaning back and opening his guard. _Those damn ring shaped projectiles are annoying._ He thought as he rose back to a vertical base.

Before he could regain his composure, Ata noticed that his opponent attempted to capitalize with a flying punch, Ata analyzing the attack instantly before jumping back slightly, dropping to a crouch and throwing a right spin kick meant to sweep his opponent's feet. Meteor hopped over it, the evasion giving Ata enough time to roll to his feet and throw a left elbow that Meteor blocked with his right forearm. Ata exhaled, throwing a right elbow that his opponent blocked with his other forearm, Ata applying pressure on his opponent's forearms to wear them down while watching his legs. When the shorter male's leg moved to take a step back, Ata withdrew his elbows and leaned back slightly, throwing a right knee that struck his opponent in the stomach.

Ata withdrew his knee quickly, his right leg shooting out and striking his opponent in the side, his bent foot acting like a hook, offsetting his opponent's balance enough for him to stomp forward and throw a left elbow that he followed up with a spinning right back elbow, his opponent stepping back. Ata cursed, his demeanor becoming the slightest bit frustrated. _I can tell that didn't do too much damage. This is gonna be a pain in the ass._ He thought, exhaling as he rolled his shoulders. _I just need him to hit me with one or two more attacks and then I can try out my last fighting style._ He thought, noting that neither Bear or Tiger Fist weren't very effective, and his Wolf Fist lacked _something_ needed to overwhelm his opponent.

Retaking his fighting stance, Ata narrowed his eyes slightly as he thought about exactly _what_ his Wolf Fist was lacking. He stepped back from a right side kick, stepping forward with a right cross. Meteor weaved inward, Ata cursing as his right fist opened and hooked around the back of his opponent's head, catching him in a half clinch, allowing Ata to throw a volley of left forearm strikes. Meteor threw a wild right punch, striking Ata in the abdomen and breaking the clinch long enough to take a step back and regain his composure. Ata threw a right hook that Meteor spun in a counterclockwise circle to his left to avoid. He jabbed his left shoulder into Ata's chest to create a small amount of space.

Ata grunted, hesitating when his realized that this was what he was looking for. _My Wolf Fist doesn't have too many varying attacks. It's all elbows and knees and how to get close enough to throw them._ He noted, Meteor shouting as he threw a string of left backfists, striking Ata in the chest and abdomen. Ata throwing a left hook that Meteor leaned back from, following up with a right hook that Meteor spun in a clockwise half circle to avoid, his fingers resting on Ata's chest. He shouted, clenching his fist and throwing his fist forward with much more force than any of his other attacks, striking Ata in the chest and sending him flying back. Ata crashed to the ground and rolled, his armor covered in smoke.

Meteor panted, his energy slowly beginning to wane as he looked at the immobile suit of smoking armor. "Serves you right." he said, turning to leave. He hesitated, hearing a chuckle. Spinning around, he watched Ata rise to his feet, the smoke still billowing from his armor. Ata cracked his neck, sighing as he rolled his shoulders and assessed the damage he sustained. _Well, my ribs are a little more than bruised at the least._ He thought, humming to himself as he stepped forward, noting that his legs were completely fine. He flexed his hands, grunting at the pain he felt when the muscles in his arms flexed. He looked ahead, chuckling when he noticed the frustration in his opponent's posture. "Where were we?" he asked, his left leg sliding forward as he exhaled.

Meteor shouted, a loud bellow that Ata could feel the emotion behind. Watching his opponent's charge, Ata lifted his right hand up to his face, his hands remaining open and his posture remaining relaxed as he anticipated his foe's first strike. Meteor pulled back, Ata able to tell that the force behind his next punch was much more than usual, Ata almost beginning to wonder if his opponent's powers fluctuated based on emotion. Ata ducked under the straight right, spinning in a counter clockwise circle and swinging his left leg out, tripping his opponent as he moved to his side. Ata continued his motions fluidly, throwing a right front kick that sent his foe's airborne body flying back. Making sure he didn't slow down, Ata chased after Meteor's airborne body, watching as he rotated in midair.

Ata watched Meteor launch another projectile as he landed, the foreigner rolling around it with a spinning hop, closing in within the next three steps and throwing a stiff left bodyblow that he followed up with a spinning overhand right, spinning and dropping to one knee, exhaling as he slammed his left elbow into Meteor's abdomen, his arm rolling as the back of his fist struck his opponent in the chest, sending him stumbling into the edge of the bridge. Meteor shouted in frustration, slamming his fists into the bridge before turning back to Ata. "How did your power spike like that!?" he shouted, and Ata chuckled, hopping in place to keep himself moving, as if stopping would prove fatal. "It didn't. I simply decided to shift to my fourth fighting style." he said, and his opponent scoffed.

Ata stepped back from a right jab, twisting his body to the left and throwing a trio of quick right backfists that he followed up with a right side kick, continuing his momentum by slamming his foot down and spinning, his left heel striking Meteor in the shoulder as Ata hopped back. "Recognize any of my attacks?" he asked, his previous frustrations long forgotten as he began to enjoy himself. "Those… those are my attacks." the glossy suited fellow said, and Ata nodded. "Precisely. I'm not too fond of using this last fighting style, but it helps me understand my opponent's capabilities by mimicking their fighting style." he explained, humming to himself as the two closed in on each other. "I decided to call it 'Parrot Fist', since it's pretty much me parroting my opponent's moves." he explained, the words falling on deaf ears.

Meteor threw a left hook, Ata catching his fist in his own right, throwing a left jab that Meteor caught with his right hand, Ata releasing his opponent's hand and throwing an overhand right cross. Meteor released Ata's hand, twisting to his left and throwing a right chop, striking Ata in the wrist and throwing off his attack, following up with a spinning left backfist that Ata ducked under, rising up and throwing a left hook. Meteor responded by leaning back and shoving Ata's fist down with his right hand, throwing a left bodyblow. Ata twisted his body to his left to avoid the strike, throwing a quick right backfist that Meteor stepped to the right and twisted to the left to avoid. Meteor threw a right roundhouse kick at Ata's back, Ata quickly spinning in a clockwise circle and ducking to avoid, responding with a right sweeping kick, tripping Meteor as they both rose to their feet.

Regaining his composure rather quickly, Meteor threw a right high kick, Ata blocking with his left forearm, following up with a right jab. Meteor responded by striking Ata's fist with his left forearm, extending his arm and throwing a chop at Ata's face. Ata ducked under the attack, twisting his body to the left as he rose, bringing his right knee up. Meteor blocked Ata's knee with both of his hands, shoving his leg down and throwing a left hook. Ata moved with the momentum of his leg, leaning back and twisting his body to the right, throwing a left back elbow. Meteor stepped to his right, turning to the left and shoving Ata's elbow, the foreigner using the momentum as he began to spin, throwing a right back elbow that Meteor ducked under. He rose back to a vertical base, throwing a double fisted punch into Ata's chest, creating space between the two of them.

Using the space to his advantage, Ata threw a left roundhouse kick that Meteor ducked under, rising back up and throwing a double booted dropkick into Ata's back, the taller male stumbling forward and grunting. He spun in a counterclockwise half circle, throwing a wide, arcing right spin kick that Meteor blocked with both of his hands, Ata noticing from the contact that Meteor had a hard time blocking the attack. Ata chuckled, leaping off his remaining foot and slamming it into the side of Meteor's skull, landing in a crouch before spinning, rising back to a vertical base as he carefully analyzed his opponent. _I think I can win with one good shot._ He thought, clenching his right fist as Meteor slowly regained his composure.

Ata lifted his right fist, his left hand clenching around his wrist, Ata transferring the energy from his left arm to the gauntlet, his hand running down and up his forearm as if he was cocking a shotgun. Ata swung his hand out broadly, dropping to one knee and slamming his fist to the ground, releasing enough excess energy to shake the bridge, offsetting his opponent's balance enough to make his move. Ata ran forward, the energy running from his forearm towards his fist. He jumped, twisting his body to the left, his fist flying forward. " _ **Kaieke Meke** **!**_ " He called as his fist thundered forward, crashing into his foe's jaw and shattering the bottom half of his helmet as he flew back, crashing to the ground and skidding, Ata wincing as he watched Meteor bounce before coming to a halt. Ata exhaled, rolling his shoulders at the amount of energy he expanded.

"Well, I guess that qualifies as a 'Rider Punch'." he said with a chuckle, inhaling as he looked to the gauntlet, sighing at the sight of the vibrant sapphire in the back of the glove. "Figured I'd get a new form or impressive ability..." he said, trailing off in thought as he shrugged, turning to head back into town. However, he noticed that his muscles were still tense, as if he was still in the middle of a fight. He wondered if his body was playing tricks on him, but then he turned and looked to Meteor, chuckling as he watched him rise to his feet. _So he can still go?_ Ata wondered, exhaling as he began walking forward. He noticed something in Meteor's left hand, and he hesitated slightly, watching him pull the 'switch' from his belt, slamming the other object in it's place, a small windmill sitting atop the switch. Meteor roared, Ata whistling as a gust of wind and blue energy surrounded him, slowly turning gold as it swirled about.

When the energy dissipated, Meteor's suit was a bright blue color, but no less glossy. His light blue armament expanded and turned gold, his previously unarmored left shoulder now covered with a similar shoulder pad to his right shoulder. Ata also noted small, almost ball like pieces of golden armor on his knees, and rings around his ankles and feet. His helmet was repaired, and the spikes that used to point to the left now spread, also pointing in the opposite direction. However, what Ata noticed above all else was the rather hefty looking staff in his hands. "So you managed to not only get back up, but shift to a stronger form, huh?" Ata asked, and his opponent's grip on his staff tightened. Ata sighed, opening his right hand and summoning his shield and sword, rolling the later in his hand. He broadened his stance slightly, lifting his sword overhead as he gestured for Meteor to attack him.

Taking the bait, Meteor made the first move, a basic jab at Ata's chest. Ata took this chance to analyze his opponent's weapon, noticing that, unsurprisingly, there was a ringed ball, much like Saturn, at the end of the staff that was currently flying at his chest. He exhaled, moving his shield to block, throwing his arm back when he felt the planet shaped ball make contact. This threw off Meteor's posture, Ata twisting his torso and jabbing his blade forward. Meteor's hands quickly switched positions on the staff as he drove it down, knocking Ata's blade towards the ground and allowing Ata to see that there was an odd opening at the other end of the staff, something that he made a mental note to keep an eye on. Ata rolled to his right, swinging his blade in a hooking arc to create space as he spun, pulling his blade back to it's starting position.

He crouched slightly, exhaling as he waited for his opponent to make a move. Meteor stepped forward, and Ata sprung into action as soon as he saw muscle movement. He jabbed forward, striking Meteor in the chest, the force of the blow knocking him back slightly as sparks went flying from the force, the Maori stepping forward and jabbing his shield out. Meteor stepped back, swinging his staff overhead and striking Ata in the right shoulder. Ata twisted his body to the right, throwing a left hook with his shield. Meteor withdrew his staff, causing Ata to swing at open air, his opponent jabbing his staff into his left shoulder. Ata grunted when he stumbled, noticing that this gave Meteor enough time to strike him a second time.

Ata twisted to the left and swung his shield to block the third strike, noticing that using a heavy sword and shield against a smaller foe wielding a staff wasn't particularly ideal. He jumped back, using his gauntlet to cast away his weapons as he landed, flexing his right hand. He glanced to the gauntlet, exhaling when he saw the shimmering emerald lodged firmly in the back of his palm. _I'll need to switch to a more weapon based form to combat my opponent._ He thought, feeling a gust of wind cover his body as his armor began to shift from his base form to the 'Rangi Samurai', which he hoped would close the gap in their power. He opened his hands, summoning Gabi Raizou's blades as the gust of wind petered out, making the first move.

He jabbed both blades forward, Meteor stepping back. Switching his placement of his hands, Meteor swung his staff in a wide arc from left to right. Ata twisted his blades in his grip, shifting to a mantis grip as he brought them up, hearing a loud clang of metal as he knocked the staff upwards, rolling the blades into a reverse grip. He came down, his right blade grinding against his foe's armor, the damage being more superficial than he'd have liked. Meteor responded by flinging his right leg out, striking Ata in the chest and knocking him back to a vertical stance, allowing him to swing the staff down in a curving arc and striking Ata in the skull, causing him to stumble.

Ata used the damage he sustained to his advantage, using the space to roll the blades back into a standard grip and take a proper stance. He exhaled, humming to himself when he realized that this also wasn't an ideal weapon match up. He shook his head, edging forward and exhaling as he twisted his body to the right, swinging his left blade low. Meteor lowered his staff stiffly to parry, moving instantly from his stiff block to a jab, the ball at the end of the staff striking Ata in the abdomen. Ata rolled in a counter clockwise circle while stepping forward, swinging his right blade high. Meteor brought his staff to a vertical position to block, Ata using his block as a chance, swinging his left blade down at his opponent's right arm in a stiff, cleaving fashion.

The blade struck, sparks flying as Meteor's posture wavered and his guard eased up. Ata pulled his right blade back, repeating the slash with more force, twisting his body to the left to put more of his muscle into the attack, striking hard enough to knock the staff from his opponent's grip. Ata dropped his stance and extended his left arm, catching Meteor as he stumbled to his right. Ata inhaled, raking the blade across the stomach of his opponent and continuing his spin to follow up with a right slash to the chest, neither strike breaking through his opponent's armor.

Ata stepped back and pondered this as Meteor slowly regained his composure. _Well, if Poe was right about them being stronger than entire Sentai, then it makes sense that my blades aren't getting through their suits as easy as Nadagou's. I'll just need more force._ He thought, gripping the blades tighter as Meteor stomped forward, shouting as he threw a wild right hook. Ata ducked and weaved underneath, rising back up as his opponent rolled forward, grabbing his staff and pointing it at him in a dual handed grip. Ata took a step to the right, looking over his opponent for a weak point, or a place to focus his attacks.

However, he didn't have enough time to decide, as Meteor jabbed his staff out, shifting it to a one handed grip to add to his reach, Ata noticing that there was around nine feet between the two of them. Ata stepped to his left, moving forward as he tensed the muscles in his forearms. Meteor spun, his empty left hand back on the staff as he swung it in a wide arc, striking Ata in the shoulder and knocking off his trajectory, his muscles relaxed as he rolled to the side and cursed in frustration. _Now I have to deal with the reach since I got past the speed and mobility thing._ He thought, wondering how to negate his opponent's reach advantage, regardless of how big it was. His eyes narrowed as he moved, his shorter left blade shifting into a reverse grip.

Ata twisted his body to the right and stepped to the left to avoid a heavy jab, spinning in a circle and extending his arms, using energy from the gauntlet to power his rotation, both of his blades striking his opponent's chest and creating more space. Using the distance, Ata pulled his left arm back, shifting most of his remaining energy into his left blade before launching it, a stiff throw that used the surrounding air to increase both it's speed and force. When the blade struck Meteor in the chest, Ata noticed that his opponent's armor began to crack. _I need to follow up on that!_ He thought hastily twirling the blade in his grip and running forward.

Shifting nearly all of his remaining energy into his right blade he stepped forward, grabbing his left blade and lifting them both overhead before coming down, both of the shoulder plates of his opponent's armor cracking as he threw all of his physical strength into the attack, Meteor dropping to his knees. The shorter Kamen Rider tightened his grip on his staff, jabbing it into the ground to propel himself into the air, knocking Ata's blades from his hands, a string of kicks striking Ata in the chest as Meteor flipped back, landing on his feet and wobbling. He panted heavily, reaching for the switch in his belt. Ata watched his opponent as he fell back, his blades just out of his reach. His hands balled into fists, and he exhaled, flipping himself back up to a crouching position as Meteor placed the switch in the opening of his staff.

 _So that's what it was for._ He thought, using the gauntlet to reclaim his blades before shifting back to his larger sword and shield, figuring that a more defensive set of weapons would benefit him. "Fate will let me call forth the storm." he said, Ata narrowing his eyes at the odd words his opponent spoke. He watched his opponent twirl the staff in his grip, Ata twirling the blade in his grip before inhaling and running forward. The staff bounced against the ground, Meteor's hand on what appeared to be a release switch for the windmill, which now appeared more like a spinning top. "Meteor Storm Punisher!" the Kamen Rider called, the top shooting off from the staff and flying forward.

It struck Ata in the right shoulder, halting his charge as he shifted his blade into a reverse grip, launching it as he continued to move forward. Meteor stepped away from the flying blade, watching it fly over the bridge and crash to the river below as the top zigzagged back, striking Ata in the left shoulder blade before hitting the ground and shooting back at him, Ata pulling his shield in front of him as the top made contact, Ata gritting his teeth as he felt his shield crack. _I need to upgrade this thing asap._ He thought wryly, watching Meteor slam the switch back into his belt and lower his stance, his right leg out farther then the rest of his body.

Ata chuckled to himself as the shield shattered and the top slammed into his chest, causing him to slide back towards the edge of the bridge, his energy completely depleted from his last string of attacks. Meteor leaped into the air, Ata watching him carefully as he twisted his body to the left, his left leg bending in half as his right leg extended out. Ata memorized the exact form of his opponent, a smile crossing his face as Meteor's right foot slammed into his chest, both the top and the flying kick shattering his armor as his feet came off the ground and he flew over the edge of the bridge, his transformation beginning to fade.

"What's the first order of business when we get there?" Kentaro asked, and Poe glanced back to Tatsugami, who seemed rather complacent after eating a large amount of their food. "Find Ata and this 'Ghoul' of his. After that, we leave immediately to avoid Meteor." he said, and Tatsugami looked up to him, narrowing his eyes as he leaned forward. "Meteor? That brat's still here?" He asked, and Poe looked to him in the rear view mirror, nodding. "He is. And if the last few years went as well for him as my sources say they did, he's even stronger than when he beat you, so fighting him is out of the picture." he said, and the Leo Zodiart chuckled. "And since when did I agree to listen to you?" he asked.

Poe shrugged. "Don't listen to me. I doubt anyone would miss you if you died." he said, causing Kentaro to glance to him. "You really think it's a good idea to piss off that guy?" he asked, and Poe shrugged, as if he didn't care. Tatsugami chuckled, rolling his neck with an enthused look across his features. "And what are we going to do if he finds us, little man? Run like craven idiots back to this monstrosity?" he asked, and Poe sighed. "If Meteor finds us, I expect you two to run like hell like I will. If he follows, than we have to hope that we can shake him off our tails and regroup elsewhere." he said, something that Kentaro found iffy.

"I don't know about that one. I've ran from a lot of cops and shit before, but running from an Interpol agent Kamen Rider? I don't even _want_ to do that, regardless of the fact I don't think I could." he said, the trio noticing that they were entering the outskirts of their destination. "So what? You'll stand and fight, knowing full well that you're one glorified dropkick from a pine box?" he asked, and Kentaro shrugged. "I can die fighting a Kamen Rider. As a random human street thug, that's the best way I can go out." he said, and Tatsugami began to laugh, amused by Kentaro's braggadocio. "I like this guy! At least he understands that running isn't an option."

Poe flexed his jaw in agitation as they arrived, Kentaro pulling into a large, empty parking lot near a small market. "Just find the 'Ghoul' and go from there. If I can't save you, I'll make sure to notify your family that you went out like an idiot." he said, rising from his seat and exiting the RV first. "The little man isn't very good at hiding his feelings." Tatsugami said, rising from his seat and sighing. "I can tell that he wants to fight too. He just won't admit it." he said, exiting the RV with Kentaro close behind. "Do we split up?" Kentaro asked, looking to Poe. The Kurou hummed, shaking his head. "No. If all goes to hell and we have to fight, our best bet is to fight together." he said, looking to them and grabbing his hat and tightening his grip on it.

"If that happens, me and Kentaro will act as decoys for you to strike harder, more decisive hits. Is that alright?" he asked, both men nodding as the trio began to move. "Do you have any idea where to search for this creature?" Tatsugami asked, and Poe shrugged. "We'll start with the apartment address Ata gave me, and then go from there." he said, shaking his head as they continued moving.

Reaching the building that Ata informed Poe about, the trio entered together, Poe in the front of the group. "This is the place, right?" Kentaro asked, and Poe nodded. "Should be. Ata's room was on the third floor if I remember correctly." he said, the trio heading for the stairs, the Kurou in the front on edge as he remained alert. "Relax, little man. There's no reason for you to be so tense." Tatsugami said, Poe chuckling as he climbed the next set of stairs. "You see no reason to be tense. I, however, expect an angry Kamen Rider to come headhunting us because some girl he likes is with the monster we're heading down this hall to hopefully meet." he explained, something that earned him a disappointed sigh in return.

When they reached the door, Poe knocked loudly, in the hope of waking up anyone that might have been asleep. The Kurou's feet twitched as he tried to feel the ground beneath his feet, something Ata taught him to do a while ago. The knob twisted, and the door opened inwardly, the figure on the other side being a young girl, the stony creature they were looking for standing behind her, waving to them. "Can I help you guys?" she asked, seeming slightly worried. "My name is Poe. The guy that lives here, big dude, is my brother." he explained, and she relaxed, smiling. "My name is Mei. It's nice to meet you." she said, bowing lightly, Poe returning the gesture.

When the quintet made it outside, Poe seemed to relax slightly. "My brother tells me that some Imagin targeted you. Can you think of any reason why?" he asked, and she shook her head. "Not at all. It was so weird being attacked by monsters again." she said, and Poe nodded, looking to the stony creature that Ata managed to bring along. _I'm pretty sure I can use him for something._ He thought, turning his attention back to the girl, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Tell me, were you aware of the energy that my brother sensed coming from you?" he asked, trying to find out more information about the function of Ata's gauntlet, and the energy source that powered it. The girl shook her head. "No, I don't think I can say I was." she stated, and Poe narrowed his eyes.

 _So if the wellspring is inside of a person, they'll likely be unaware of that fact. Interesting._ He thought, rubbing his chin and exhaling. "And did my brother make any attempts to remove the energy from your body?" he asked, and the girl hummed, nodding. "He said that all he had to do was touch me to absorb it. He said it was like getting warm by putting your hands by a camp fire." she explained, and Poe nodded, noting that Ata's analogy was similar to one made in Galahad's journal. "And after he…. 'absorbed', the energy, did you feel any different?" he asked, and the girl hummed before giggling. "I lost a couple of pounds afterwards. That's about it." she said, and Poe nodded, finding it odd that energy that powers something like the gauntlet would have no effect on humans.

 _Maybe there's something else in the journal I missed. There's no way that it could drive Galahad, a trained warrior, insane, but a modern day teenage girl is unaffected._ He thought, his mind traveling before something else came to mind. _Maybe it's the quality or purity of the energy. I'll have to reread the journal when I get back to the Kurainer._ He thought, his thoughts cut off by the sound of footsteps approaching them. The quintet all turned to look in the direction of the sound, Poe picking up on the fact that the surrounding area was rather barren, as if everyone had conveniently fled from the area. Poe quickly glanced to the sky, noticing that it was rather cloudy, Poe able to tell that a heavy storm was on it's way.

He looked forward, his breath catching in his throat at the sight of Meteor approaching them, Poe able to see scrapes and bruises across his flesh, his posture leaning to the side and his breathing shallow. _He's pretty decently injured. Maybe we won't have to run after all._ He thought, glancing to Kentaro and Tatsugami, who remained on edge, but unmoving. "Ryuusei! What happened to you!?" Mei asked, running over to him. He pushed her to the side, gritting his teeth as he looked at Poe and Stallone. "You two!" He shouted, pointing a wavering finger at them. "I'm going to kill the both of you!" he shouted, and Poe slowly shifted his stance, pulling his jacket off as Stallone rolled his rocky neck.

Poe reached for his hat as Meteor slowly rose to a composed stance. _He's really agitated. Almost like he was enraged._ He noticed, dropping his hat to the ground as Kentaro sighed, running his fingers through his hair before taking his Rhinoceros Fist stance, Tatsugami pulling the Leo Switch from his pocket. "Ryuusei, calm down! This isn't like you!" she shouted, and Poe narrowed his eyes as he watched the Kamen Rider shove her away again. _Could this have something to do with the wellspring? Ata did sense it on him._ He thought, hearing Tatsugami's switch activate, the white lion Zodiart to his left. "Where's Ata?" he asked, and Meteor scoffed, a weak, wheezing sound that was followed by his his belt springing to life.

"I already took care of him. He's probably at the bottom of some river by now." he said, his arms swinging out wide, something that Poe recognized as his transformation pose. "You three better be careful. We don't need any casualties." he said, and the other three nodded as a beam of blue light fell from the sky, striking the injured male as he transformed. As much as he hated to admit it, Poe was excited, his left hand starting to quiver. _And I always nag Ata about the same exact thing._ He thought with a chuckle, watching the light dissipate as the Kamen Rider rolled his sore limbs, exhaling as he cracked his neck. "My name is Meteor, and your fate lies in my hands." he said, his thumb running across his helmet, where his nose would have been.

Tatsugami chuckled as he stepped forward. "I still hate hearing that line." he said, the glossy suited fellow running forward and making the first move. Thunder resounded as rain began to fall, Mei's shouts and cries lost in the rain as it began to pour from the sky like the tears of saddened gods, Poe weaving under and around a wild right hand, the four fighters surrounding the lone Kamen Rider, lightning streaking across the sky. Stallone threw a right cross, Meteor slapping his hand away with his own right, a quick backfist knocking the stony fighter back as Meteor turned in a counter clockwise quarter circle, blocking Poe's right leg with his left forearm.

Poe grit his teeth, inhaling deeply as he pulled his leg down, ducking under a right hook, rising up with a quick right jab, striking Meteor in the face and doing only superficial damage, a right boot connecting with his chest, his feet coming off the ground. Kentaro tensed the muscles in his left arm, throwing a stiff left chop, Meteor blocking with both of his forearms, the force behind the Yakuza's strike enough to make him hesitate, giving Tatsugami enough time to attack from behind, a right hook slamming into the back of Meteor's skull, Stallone weaving forward and throwing a flurry of hooking bodyblows that he followed up with a right hook, knocking Meteor to the Ghoul's left.

Poe recovered, running forward and jumping, grabbing Meteor by the shoulders and swinging his own airborne body to the left, falling to the ground and rolling, pulling Meteor down and tossing him as both fighters rolled to their feet. Meteor threw a right straight punch, Poe stepping to his right and twisting his body to the left, throwing a right hook into Meteor's jaw, causing him to stumble long enough for Poe to follow up with a left side kick that struck the Kamen Rider in the chest, his foot hitting the ground as he continued his movements, spinning as his left heel struck Meteor in the temple. Poe dropped to a crouching position, Stallone running up and using Poe as a catapult, flying through the air and striking Meteor with a flying right hand.

Tatsugami and Kentaro followed up, the two larger fighters catching Meteor with a pincher attack, a pair of heavy right hands striking him on either side of the skull, causing him to fall to his knees as the quartet regrouped. Poe glanced behind them, the girl that inadvertently set off this entire chain of events still shouting and screaming for the five of them to stop, something that Poe knew wouldn't happen. _The wellspring seems to be enraging him. He's not much more than a random berserk monster right now._ He thought, watching Meteor scream as he rose to his feet, his right hand glowing as an image of Saturn covered it, a wild right hand releasing a large ring shaped projectile that struck Kentaro and Tatsugami.

 _Shit!_ Poe cursed inwardly, running forward with Stallone at his side, a quick glance allowing the Kurou to see that Kentaro's right arm was cut, the blood running from the wound and onto the ground, where it was quickly washed away by the rain. Stallone threw a left straight punch, Poe throwing a right straight at the same time, their fists striking Meteor's chest in tune with a massive clap of thunder, Stallone stepping forward first and throwing a right cross, Meteor stepping back to avoid it, stomping forward and throwing a right hook into Stallone's chest in tune with a flash of lightning, Poe able to hear the stone of the Ghoul's chest crack as he slid back, Poe throwing a stiff left cross that struck Meteor in the chest, Tatsugami roaring loudly as he ran forward, following up on Poe's attack with a right side kick.

Meteor fell back, hitting the ground before quickly rolling back to his feet and screaming loudly, Stallone and Kentaro already injured and weakened, the Zodiart and Kurou in rather decent shape. "It looks like you're stronger than you give yourself credit for, little man!" Tatsugami said heartily, Poe chuckling as Meteor ran forward. "You learn to have low expectations when you're a grunt monster." he said, hearing a laugh in return as they stepped apart, Meteor's wild kick missing both of them as he turned, Tatsugami throwing a right hook that struck Meteor in the chest, Poe following up with a right side kick that caused Meteor to spin as he stumbled, where a recovering Stallone met him with a stiff right hook.

Meteor hit the ground and rolled back, Kentaro coming from behind with a stiff, dual handed chop to both of Meteor's shoulders, causing him to stumble forward before spinning and throwing a stiff right cross, Poe moving forward as soon as he heard Kentaro's jaw crack, the Yakuza grunting in pain as he was struck with a left bodyblow, Meteor stepping back before a right side kick to the chest caused his feet to come off the ground, where he crashed to the ground and rolled, coughing up blood as thunder roared throughout the sky, the down-pouring rain not letting up as Poe shouted, throwing a right hook that Meteor stepped away from.

A right mid kick struck Poe in the chest, causing him to cough and hesitate enough for three more kicks to strike him, Meteor spinning as his left heel swung at Poe's face. The Kurou growled, shouting as he blocked Meteor's foot with both of his hands, lurching forward and shoving his opponent's leg down, Tatsugami leaping into the air and closing in, his right fist striking Meteor in the chest, the Kamen rider catching his fist with his left hand, his right hand coming up and striking Tatsugami in the stomach, launching him high into the air, leaping after him as thunder clapped once more, Poe cursing as he watched a Rider Kick strike Tatsugami in the chest and send him flying to the ground, where Stallone caught him, both of them driven to the ground, Tatsugami's transformation fading.

Poe analyzed the situation as logically as possibly. _Kentaro is heavily injured, and catching Tatsugami probably put Stallone out of the fight, and a faded transformation usually means that they've lost._ He thought, staring down Meteor as they began to stalk around each other. _So it's one on one._ Poe thought, his posture tensing up when Meteor charged forward. Poe stepped to his left, weaving back to the right and throwing a left high kick that struck Meteor in the temple, trying to remain calm as he rolled, putting his back to his opponent and flipping backwards, both of his feet striking Meteor in the skull and driving him to the ground, allowing Poe to spin around and step back.

 _If a Zodiac Zodiart got beat without a problem, than I stand little to no chance._ He thought, immediately considering his last resort, which would be to flee. However, when he saw his comrades laying strewn across the battlefield, injured and unable to fight, he realized that it wasn't something he'd really do. He stepped back from a left roundhouse kick as lightning flashed through the sky, the Kurou stepping forward and throwing a right hook, striking Meteor in the chest and exhaling as he followed up with his own left roundhouse kick, managing to strike his opponent, his adrenaline kicking in as his left leg hit the ground, Poe hopping off the ground and throwing his right leg into Meteor's face, landing on his feet as Meteor stumbled back.

Thunder resounded, and lightning flashed rather soon after, the two staring each other down, Poe's right leg twitching as he watched Meteor run forward. _This is likely my last chance to put him down._ He thought, stepping back and watching Meteor pull his right hand back, jerking his body forward and leaning back, his right leg coming up and his heel striking Meteor in the jaw, the Kurou stomping forward and throwing a left toe kick into Meteor's abdomen, spinning and hooking his arm around the Kamen Rider's helmet, tightening his grip as he jumped, driving Meteor's jaw into his shoulder, releasing his skull as he rolled to his feet and caught Meteor in a standing arm triangle, inhaling deeply.

He jumped forward, tripping Meteor's wavering balance as he fell forward, slamming him back first into the hard asphalt, his skull bouncing off the ground as Poe rose to his feet and jumped back before falling to one knee, exhaling at how much energy he expended. Kentaro had risen to his feet, and stumbled over to Poe, clutching his damaged abdomen, his breathing uneven and blood across his lips and chin. Stallone helped Tatsugami over to Poe, the stony Ghoul covered in chips and cracks, and Tatsugami visibly stumbling and holding his own abdomen, the quartet noticing that Mei had fled from the scene, likely not wanting to see someone she cared about reduced to a genocidal berserker.

Poe watched Meteor rise to his feet, the glossy suited Kamen rider screaming loudly as thunder cracked through the sky, drowning out his rage as he swapped the switches in his belt, spinning the windmill atop the new switch as he shifted forms to Meteor Storm. "Fate will let me call forth the storm!" he bellowed as he slammed his staff into the ground. Stallone released Tatsugami as he took a stance akin to Ata's Pea Kapunga, the injured street fighter activating the Leo Switch, the white lion growling as he clenched his fists, Kentaro taking a painfully deep breath as he assumed the Rhinoceros Fist stance, Poe sighing as he rose. He rolled and cracked his neck before balling his fists, raising them up high as his right leg came off the ground. The Kurou began to grin, as if enthused. "I think I'm getting sick of your catchphrases too." he said, his comrades all laughing in agreement as lightning streaked across the sky, a clap of thunder acting akin to a bell, signaling the start of their fight.

* * *

 _Done! I'm so glad I finished this, as I got stuck at multiple points lol. I do hope you enjoyed reading this, as it took a lot of effort, and it'd suck if I liked writing it more than you liked reading it. Anyway, I thank you for everything, and there's a possibility that I may take a brake after Chapter 10, so keep an eye out lol. Thanks for everything, and I love you, Jiro 'The Ghetto Tohunga' Uchiha, OTF Inc._


	9. Haka 9: Hotu Ngaru

_Jiro here once more, this time for Chapter 9! I'm actually surprised that I managed to get to the ninth chapter of a fic with 10K word chapters in a month or so lol. Then again, it's mostly fights, which is my specialty, lol. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this, as I'm going to try and turn up the descriptions of certain things to a more coherent degree. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoy reading as much as I do writing, Jiro 'The Ghetto Tohunga' Uchiha, OTF Inc._

* * *

The quartet ran forward, Poe picking up that everyone's speed had been reduced from the damage they sustained, which seemed to be focused more on the torso than anything else. They all stopped short, stepping back from a broad swing of Meteor's staff, Poe exhaling as he realized that they needed to work as a coherent unit if they wanted to stand a chance. "Keep an eye on your torsos! He's focused his attacks around your organs!" he shouted, shaking rain from his head as he ran forward ahead of his teammates, grabbing the staff and tugging it, his opponent's grip not relinquishing control of the only weapon in the fight. "Now!" he called, and the other three all surged forth. Stallone came from behind, hooking his arms around Meteor's throat in a sleeper hold, Poe lifting his hands up and pushing Meteor's arms up in the process, allowing Tatsugami and Kentaro to strike Meteor's abdomen with hooking blows before they stepped back.

The golden Kamen Rider roared again, leaping into the air with Poe and Stallone still attached to him, a swift spinning motion shaking them both off of him, Poe watching Stallone crash to the ground before rolling back to his feet. _He seems to be running off of adrenaline, which is weird for a rock._ He thought, grunting at the shockwave that ran through his legs as he landed on his feet, wavering slightly as their foe landed as well. Poe's eyes narrowed, and then he blinked, remembering something that might help them. "Tatsugami! Use your soundwave!" He shouted, the lion glancing to him before nodding and inhaling. Meteor saw this and charged him, Poe running to intercept the bright blue warrior.

Kentaro reached Meteor first, catching him from behind in a Full Nelson hold and intertwining his hands behind Meteor's head. "Do it now!" he shouted, the lion grunting before releasing a roar, a strong, almost tornado like shockwave striking Meteor in the chest and sending both him and Kentaro flying back and crashing to the ground, Stallone and Poe already moving to follow up after them. Poe glanced to the sky, noticing that the rain was beginning to let up, signaling that they were near the eye of the storm. _A lack of rain will allow for better mobility and communication. We have to take advantage of that._ He thought, Meteor shaking Kentaro off of him before swinging his staff broadly.

Poe leaped over the weapon, glancing to his right and seeing the planet shaped ball at the end slam into Stallone's chest and send him skidding back, Poe wrapping his hands around Meteor's skull and falling back, lifting his knees into the golden Rider's jaw, his back colliding with the wet asphalt as his knees jarred Meteor's jaw, Poe using the momentum to flip him overhead and roll back to his feet, glancing down and noticing Meteor's staff, chuckling as he picked it up. He spun it in his grip, pointing the planet shaped ball at the recovering Kamen Rider before glancing to Stallone, who had managed to recover from the attack. He glanced behind him, seeing that Kentaro had also recovered, the three all moving forward as Meteor reached his feet.

Tatsugami intercepted Meteor, throwing a right high kick that was blocked by a left forearm, Meteor throwing a right jab that struck the white lion in the chest, Tatsugami's leg reaching the ground as he threw an overhanded right cross, striking Meteor in the face and causing him to take a step back, Poe stepping past Tatsugami as the trio reached him, using both of his arms and all of his back muscle to slam the staff into his chest, sending him back further, where Stallone and Kentaro followed up with a pair of double fisted strikes, Tatsugami leaping over their extended arms and driving both of his feet into Meteor's chest, the quartet watching as Meteor rose to his feet, Poe's eyes glancing up at the cloudy sky, the rain having ceased for the time being.

"Don't let up!" Poe shouted, knowing that Meteor's fighting style was more fluid and fast paced, and lacked in stiff, defensive tactics. _At least as far as I know it does._ He thought, Tatsugami throwing a right hook that Meteor weaved under and around, throwing a left kick to the white lion's back, sending him stumbling forward before he spun, catching both Stallone and Kentaro's fists with ease, Poe moving to attack. Meteor swung his arms inward, using Kentaro and Stallone's bodies to block his attack, causing the Kurou to hesitate and curse. "Fight back you craven!" he shouted, the Kamen Rider throwing both of them to the side before charging Poe, who could feel his heart throbbing hard in his chest.

 _I have to buy enough time for them to recover._ He thought, jabbing the staff out as Meteor closed in. The Kamen Rider stepped to the right, bringing his left fist down and knocking the staff from Poe's grip before throwing a right hook. Poe used his left hand, swatting his foe's fist before bringing his right knee up into Meteor's chest, picking up on how little damage it did, immediately hooking both of his arms behind Meteor's neck, catching him in a full clinch and releasing a flurry of left and right knees that was stopped by a stiff step forward that brought Meteor's skull into Poe's stomach, breaking the clinch and allowing Meteor to throw a left bodyblow that he followed up with a right straight punch to the jaw, Poe grunting at the force of the attack as pain rang out through his skull.

Kentaro came from behind, grabbing the staff and spinning in a circle, Meteor spinning and catching his weapon in a tight grip. "Did you really think that a pathetic street thug like you could beat me?" he asked, and Kentaro laughed. "Not for a second. I just wanted to have a little fun with the boys." he said, Meteor scoffing as he tugged the staff from the Yakuza's grip, throwing a left punch that struck Kentaro in the abdomen and lifted him off the ground, following up his attack with a left hook that struck Kentaro in the jaw and sent him flying, crashing into the ground and bouncing, his flesh being grinded against the asphalt as he slowly began to lose consciousness.

Poe cursed as the pain began to subside in his skull, realizing that they were down a fighter, something that only helped Meteor out in the end. _I have to try and keep us all going for now._ Before Poe could devise a strategy, Tatsugami and Stallone shot into action, the lion using his roaring shockwave to close in, something that Poe found rather effective as he came at their foe from behind. When the shockwave subsided, Meteor jabbed out his staff, catching the lion Zodiart in the chest, Stallone managing to avoid the attack, moving to Meteor's right and closing in, twisting his body to the right as he threw a left cross, striking Meteor in the jaw and knocking his balance.

Poe jumped off the ground, catching Meteor in a sleeper hold before dragging him to the ground, watching his golden helmet bounce off the ground as he rolled to his feet. Stallone moved to follow up, spinning and throwing a hard right punch at the ground, Meteor rolling out of the way. Stallone's fist struck the asphalt, cracking it as Meteor swung his staff in an upward arc, striking Stallone in the throat and lifting him back to a vertical base. Meteor withdrew his staff, jabbing it into Stallone's chest again, the crack on his chest increasing in size. The stony creature released a loud roar, catching the staff in both of his hands. Meteor tugged the staff back, Stallone's grip not shifting in the slightest.

Tatsugami and Poe used this to their advantage, both attacking from either of Meteor's sides, a pair of right hands striking him in the skull and rocking him. His grip on the staff shifted slightly, and Stallone pulled it from his grip, twirling it around and jabbing it back at the Kamen Rider, striking him in the stomach. Tatsugami and Poe followed up, Poe throwing a right bodyblow and Tatsugami a left, striking Meteor in the stomach, the space allowing Stallone to jab the planet shaped ball of the staff into Meteor's skull, knocking him to the ground as the trio began to regroup.

"How are we doing?" Poe asked, the white lion who had already fought the Kamen Rider chuckling. "Fine. If he's any stronger than when we fought, it'll take another hour of this for him to be worn down." he said, and Poe snickered, noticing that the rain had begun to fall again, a soft thunderclap resounding as Meteor rose to his feet. "Repeat the same actions. Staff attack into pincher attack and repeat." he commanded, his teammates nodding as they all ran forward. Stallone moved to the front of the group, jabbing the staff out. Meteor stepped to his left, Tatsugami throwing a wild right haymaker that Meteor caught in his left hand. Stallone stepped forward, silently stepping forward and swinging the staff in a clockwise quarter circle, Poe running behind the staff.

Meteor threw a right bodyblow, striking Tatsugami and releasing his hand before spinning, catching his staff with both hands, a left side kick striking Stallone in the shoulder, knocking him away as Poe closed in, grabbing the staff in a tight grip as Tatsugami caught Meteor in a sleeper hold. The golden Kamen Rider jerked his hands to the right, breaking Poe's grip before a stiff dual handed swing of the staff struck Poe in the right side, knocking him away far enough for Meteor to slam his staff to the ground, vaulting him and the white lion into the air, holding the staff in his right hand as he struck Tatsugami in the abdomen with a chain of left back elbows.

Breaking the hold, Meteor spun in midair, slamming both of his feet into Tatsugami's chest and sending him vaulting at the ground, launching the staff after him and striking him in the left pectoral muscle. His left leg bent as he fell down after Tatsugami, his right foot connecting with the staff as they crashed to the ground, Meteor landing in a one legged stance atop the staff, the other end slammed into the asphalt and through Tatsugami's pectoral muscle, pinning him to the ground as blood began to pool around the staff's entrance wound. Poe watched Meteor flip off the staff and land on both feet, his posture appearing better than it was initially, as if he was _recovering_ during the fight.

"I told you before. I can't lose to someone who's willing to throw their life away for nothing." he said, looking back at Tatsugami as his transformation faded, the wound increasing in size as his body decreased in size. The Zodiart chuckled, as if he found the situation amusing. _What the fuck is worth chuckling about when there's a fucking staff lodged in your chest?_ Poe wondered, realizing that it was down to him and Stallone, the creature that Ata had taken under his wing while here. "You aren't half bad for a Kurou." Stallone said, and Poe chuckled when hearing the language only monsters like them spoke. "And you're pretty damn good for a rock with limbs." he said, the stony creature chuckling as Meteor closed in on them.

"Try to work with me as best as possible." Poe said, hearing a grunt in response as the two stepped back, avoiding a wide right roundhouse kick from the Kamen Rider, both of them stepping forward at the same time. Stallone threw a hooking left bodyblow that Meteor blocked with his left hand, Poe throwing a left high kick that Meteor blocked with his right forearm. The Kamen Rider's left leg swung low to sweep their feet, the two Maori trained monsters hopping in place to avoid the attack, Poe twisting in a clockwise circle in midair and striking Meteor in the right temple with his right heel, knocking him off balance enough for Stallone to follow up.

Stallone threw an overhand right, striking Meteor in the face and causing him to take a step back as Poe landed back on his feet in a crouching position. The Kurou immediately vaulted forward, catching Meteor in a standing guillotine and swinging his legs, falling back and driving Meteor skull first into the ground, both fighters rolling back and rising to their feet, Stallone running in between them. The Ghoul twisted his body to the left and pulled back, his body twisting to the right as he threw a hard left uppercut that struck Meteor in the jaw, his feet flying off the ground as the Ghoul stepped back, regrouping with Poe as they heard the thud of Meteor's body hitting the ground. "Did we get 'em?" Stallone asked, and Poe shook his head. "Not a chance. All we can hope to do is outlast him, which I doubt we can do." he said, and Stallone grunted, both of them breathing heavily as Meteor rose from the ground.

"Any idea on how we can not die?" The Ghoul asked wryly, and Poe chuckled. "Not a one. I'm still fighting because I'm analyzing the effect of the gauntlet's wellsprings on someone other than Ata. Mei was unaffected, but Meteor seems to be empowered and driven into a berserk rage by it." he said, watching the Kamen Rider crack his neck as he stepped forward. "We might have to resort to fleeing, but we cant leave without Kentaro and Tatsugami. Kentaro won't be hard to grab, but as for Tatsugami..." Poe said, trailing off as he looked to the unconscious Zodiart, seeing the staff lodged in his chest and the ground. "I'll worry about him. Give me the signal to run and I'll try to get Leo out of here." Stallone said, and Poe nodded, glad that Ata found a reliable monster at the least.

The two ran forward, spreading out as they moved for Kentaro and Tatsugami. "I'll work on holding him off! Get that staff out of his chest!" Poe shouted as he skidded across the wet ground, the rain pouring down as a loud clap of thunder resounded. _The fuck kind of storm is this?_ Poe wondered as he faced Meteor, exhaling as he saw Stallone reached Tatsugami's unconscious figure. _Here goes nothing._ Poe said, throwing a left jab that Meteor caught with his right fist. Poe threw a low left kick, striking Meteor in the knee and shifting his posture, a right palm striking Meteor in the chest and creating a small amount of space. _Of all the times to not bring my axe, I picked this one._ Poe thought, sighing as he ducked under a right jab, rising up and throwing a right cross.

Meteor blocked Poe's punch with his left forearm, striking Poe in the chest with a stiff right jab. Poe caught Meteor's wist with his left hand, twisting it as he shifted his body to the left, driving his right elbow into Meteor's forearm, following up with a backfist into the Kamen Rider's right temple, his eyes glancing past his vibrantly colored opponent to Stallone, who began to tug on the staff, trying to rend it from the ground without killing Tatsugami, or inflicting incurable wounds. Meteor used his left hand, catching Poe's right wrist, tugging it to the side before thrusting his head forward, Poe hearing the audible crack of his nose as blood began to flow from his nostrils.

Moving on instinct, Poe leaned back and threw a right roundhouse kick, Meteor using his right hand to catch Poe's ankle, swinging his arm out to the right and pulling Poe off his feet, throwing him across the air as he rolled in the air and landed on his feet as lightning streaked across the sky. Poe looked to Stallone, who had freed Tatsugami from his place pinned to the ground, as evidenced by his pained grunts and the blood pouring from his chest. Meteor turned to the two of them, and Poe cursed, running up as fast as he could, watching Meteor catch Stallone by the throat and lift him into the air. _The wellspring seems to be amplifying the emotions he's feeling. Fucker must be really angry all the time._

"I told that idiot in the black armor that I was going to kill every monster I saw. I intended to stand by that statement." he said, pulling his left hand back as it began to glow. Tatsugami released a loud roar as he moved to attack Meteor, the Kamen Rider casually kicking him out of the way, thunder cracking as Poe reached the group, catching Meteor's fist and jumping. He wrapped his legs around Meteor's arm, dropping his weight like a sack of potatoes, the dead weight breaking his grip on the Ghoul's throat as he was dragged to the ground. "Take Kentaro and get back to the Kurainer!" Poe shouted, Stallone clenching his fists and nodding before running to Kentaro, who was still unconscious on the ground, his body soaked and cold from the rain.

Meteor screamed in anger, which, as far as Poe was concerned, was the only emotion he was capable of. He flipped to a standing position, stiffly swinging his arm and shaking Poe off, the Kurou crashing to the ground before rolling back and rising to his feet, panting as he realized that he was low on energy. _I like fighting more than the next guy, but at this point I'm just asking to get killed._ He thought with a chuckle, inhaling as he watched Kentaro and Stallone disappear into the heavy rain, a clap of thunder resounding as Poe clenched his fists. "Do you really think that you stand a chance against me?" Meteor asked, and Poe shrugged, his body worn and his energy low. "Probably not. Although, since I am the good guy in this fight, the laws of the universe dictate that I'll at least injure you." he said with a chuckle.

He heard a growl, Meteor's fists clenching in anger. "Don't give me that shit! _You're_ the monster here!" he shouted, and Poe smiled, remembering that he was likely better at talking than fighting. "Am I? All I did was look for a friend of my brother. You're the one that showed up and nearly eviscerated us despite the fact that your girlfriend kept telling you to stop." he said, and Meteor's anger seemed to fade for a moment as he looked around, realizing that Mei was nowhere to be seen. "Where is she!?" He shouted, and Poe blinked. "She left a while ago. Before we reached the eye of the storm actually. She got tired of watching you try to murder us." he said, watching Meteor's anger reach a boiling point.

His right leg slid out, his remaining energy, which Poe could tell was a rather large amount, all gathering in his right foot. "You speak nothing but _lies!_ I'm through listening to you idiots!" he shouted, and Poe rose a brow, chuckling as he tried to keep Meteor's attacks and attention on him, watching Stallone approach from behind and grab Tatsugami, hoping that the Ghoul wouldn't attempt to come back for him. "That makes two of us actually. Your catchphrases are gods awful, and rather situational too." he said, wagging a weakened hand as if scolding a child. Another angry roar from Meteor made Poe begin to wonder if Meteor's vocal chords had sustained any damage as his fists clenched.

A clap of thunder resounded, and Poe hesitated, noticing that this clap wasn't the usual cracking boom, and more of an echoing bellow, something that Meteor picked up on as well, his focus broken as he looked around, the baritone bellow continuing to ring out for nine seconds. Poe looked to his left, realizing that the sound was coming from a horn, and a rather large one at that. A streak of lightning flashed through the sky, Poe watching as it lingered and increased in size, the impossible phenomenon resulting in a sky that was nearly covered in white light as a bolt fell from the sky, hitting the ground as another bellowing horn resounded, the sky growing darker as the rain continued to pour down.

A clap of thunder resounded as Poe began to step back, realizing that he could use the chain of odd weather events to escape, a streak of lightning stopping him in his tracks. For a mere second, the lightning illuminated a figure stalking through the blinding downpour, the rain not drowning out the clinking of chainmail as the figure's feet stepped closer and closer to Meteor and Poe, the Kamen Rider rising back to a vertical position as he watched the figure slowly come into view, another streak of lightning illuminating a pair of royal blue boots, the same shade of blue covering the scaled armor of the figure's legs, the darkness shielding the rest of his body from view.

Poe's breathing slowly slowed down as he began to chuckle, realizing that all of their efforts had paid off, another resounding clap of thunder and streak of lightning showing Poe the rest of the figure that stalked through the rain. His chest was covered in sleek black armor, the scales underneath royal blue chainmail rings, dark blue bear heads on the shoulders of the warrior, his left arm covered in blue, scaled armor, black metallic claws on his fingers, his opposing arm covered in black armor that led down to a thick, scaled gauntlet with a vibrant sapphire in the back of the hand, the brightest part of his suit being the sky blue claws on his right hand's fingers.

Clanging footsteps made their way towards Poe, who was beginning to feel the effects of the long arduous fight, his vision going blurry as his posture wobbled. The lone figure stepped between the Kamen Rider and the Kurou, his head turning to the left as he looked to the weakened monster, the lightning illuminating his head, his neck covered in a collar of royal blue fur, his helmet also covered in black, metal scales. His eyes, which were a shining sapphire blue, appeared round, and insectoid. The mouth of the helmet jutted out ever so slightly, the metal layered and carved to appear like a mouth full of sharp teeth. The black scales surrounding his eyes were carved in with blue markings, tribal patterns that didn't seem to match the rest of the warrior's visage.

"Where the fuck were you?" Poe asked, the figure's head tilting as his neck rolled to look at Meteor, the sapphire orbs on his face appearing to narrow in amusement before he looked back to Poe. His right hand moved slowly, reaching up before clenching into a fist, his thumb extending into the air as the suit rattled in a fashion akin to a chuckle. Poe sighed as he began to lose consciousness, falling to the ground as thunder resounded throughout the area, the blue warrior looking to the other blue warrior. "And who the fuck are you?" Meteor asked, the figure merely shifting to face him. The right hand of the figure extended, opening as the rain that poured from the sky hesitated and began to take shape in his palm.

"Nine minutes." he responded, the water spraying about as it took the shape of a metal shafted, bearded axe, the head appearing much thicker and broader than usual. Meteor stomped forward. "And what's that supposed to mean!?" He shouted, the figure crouching down slightly, the jaw of his helmet appearing to shift into an angrier, snarling visage. "That's the longest amount of time it'll take me to beat you, no matter how strong the wellspring made you." he said, Meteor appearing to grow confused as the figure sprung into action.

He came down with a swiftness that Meteor's eyes couldn't follow, the golden armor across his shoulders and chest cracking from a single downward strike, the figure's right wrist twisting as he came back up, the left half of his arm shattering and clattering to the ground as he stumbled back and grabbed his chest, coughing in shock and pain from the speed and force of the two blows. The figure exhaled, rising back to his full height as he walked forward slowly. "What's wrong!?" He shouted, his snarling visage illuminated eerily by the cracking thunder and blinding lightning. Meteor turned and threw a right cross, his fist crashing into the layered armor of the sapphire fighter's chest, Meteor grunting in pain as the figure swung in an inward arc from right to left, the other half of Meteor's armor clattering to the ground.

"Is that it!?" He shouted, a right toe kick knocking Meteor to the ground, clattering boots following after him as he rose to his hands and knees. "Get up!" He shouted, kicking Meteor in the side before he could stand. The figure growled, as if agitated that his foe wasn't more lively. When Meteor rolled back to his feet, the figure was already standing in front of him. The metallic scales of the figure's neck clattered together as he twitched, spinning the axe in his hand and slamming the blunt end into Meteor's skull. Loosing his grip, the shaft slid from his grip, his grip tightening at the last second, a jerk of his arm hooking Meteor by the left shoulder, tugging him back and tearing his suit and the flesh underneath it, a scream of pain that was drowned out by the rain ringing out.

An armored left fist struck Meteor in the face, his posture wavering as the same hand flew out again, catching him and pulling him closer, the flat top of the axe crashing into his face and knocking him to the ground. The figure's shoulders rolled as he stomped his left foot down in anger. "What happened to all of that confidence!?" He shouted, watching Meteor rise back to his feet and throw a weak right cross. The figure sidestepped, watching Meteor stumble clumsily, his grip on his axe tightening as he roared, coming down and raking the axe across his foe's back, another scream of pain ringing out as he fell to the ground. Another growl resound as Meteor's weakened body was picked up off the ground. "I thought 'fate' was going to let you 'call forth the storm'! What happened to that!?" He shouted, jabbing the flat top of the axe into Meteor's gut and hearing a cough.

"Fight back!" he roared, releasing Meteor and coming down, tearing the suit and causing superficial damage to the flesh beneath. "Call the storm!" He shouted, a backhanded slash tearing the flesh beneath the suit as blood sprayed onto the figure's armor, the royal blue bears colored purple by the red iron. "Where's your 'fate' now!?" he screamed, a backhanded downward arc tearing the suit even more. "Is this all you've got!?" he shouted, a left hook slamming into Meteor's jaw and rocking him as he began to fall back. Using the axe, the figure hooked his shoulder and caught him by the throat. "You aren't worth my time anymore. I hope that you're sturdier than you look." he said, hoisting him up into the air before throwing him to the ground and stepping back.

He threw the axe into the air, clapping his hands in tune with a resound thundercrack, reaching to his shoulders and pulling the carved bears from his armor, spinning them in his grip and wearing them like gloves. "Zenith Palm Thrust!" he called, the storm slowly dissipating as he surged forward, reaching Meteor in a tenth of a second as he jabbed both of the bear gauntlets out, slamming them into Meteor's chest before pulling them from his hands and tossing them into the air, where he leaped in pursuit. The first bear head flew onto the axe's shaft when they met in the air, the storm absorbed into the axe's blade as the bear head twisted and clamped around the axe's head as the figure caught it.

The other bear head grew in size, black energy radiating from it's maw as it clamped around the figure's left leg and fused with his boot. "This is how you call forth the storm!" He shouted, launching the axe at Meteor with all of his might before rolling as he flew towards the ground, bending his right leg as his left leg extended. The axe spun towards the ground, reaching it within a fraction of a second, the spinning blade tearing a huge wound across Meteor's chest and shattering his helmet as the wound immediately froze over, the excess energy erupting when the blade collided with the ground, encasing Meteor in a massive block of ice that prevented him from escaping. " _ **Whakakopaka Whakamoti!**_ " the sapphire savage bellowed as his foot came in contact with the ice.

The ice exploded as a shockwave rang out, the entire city shaking to it's core as the glass of windows city wide shattered, trees being blown over as the figure noticed both cars and ramen carts flying through the air from the force as he landed, the armor began to dissipate and fade, receding back to it's previous state as his eyes shrunk and turned white, the sapphire in his gauntlet shifting to a brilliant diamond. He looked to the ice, seeing Meteor's shivering figure laying near dead on the ground, a chuckle shaking his being as he turned away, walking over to the unconscious Kurou on the ground and picking him up as he simply walked away.

Many hours later, Kentaro, Poe and Tatsugami awoke, realizing that they were all on the Kurainer, which was rather warm on the inside, and that there were blankets across their bodies. Stallone was sitting by the window, peering out as if watching for enemies, something that Poe was rather grateful for. "What the fuck happened?" Kentaro asked, coughing as he removed the blanket from his form, noticing that all of his wounds had been bandaged, and that the amount of pain he felt was much less than expected. "That's what I'd like to know." Tatsugami said as Stallone grumbled to himself, the door to the Kurainer opening as a sigh rang out.

"Ata!" Poe called, rising to his feet before wincing and sinking back into his seat. The large foreigner in question, who appeared completely unharmed, and rather refreshed, sighed as he looked to his brother. "You were seriously beat up. You shouldn't try to move too much." he said, and the Kurou looked to him before coughing. "What happened back there?" he asked, and Ata shrugged. "You guys got seriously wounded by Meteor. Kentaro had a broken and dislocated jaw, damaged organs, ribs, you name it. Same thing for you, Parata. This guy here had a gaping hole in his chest." he said, pointing to Tatsugami, who he had yet to be introduced to. "Hell even Stallone here was all chipped and everything." he noted, the Ghoul in question grumbling in acknowledgment.

"What happened to that brat?" Tatsugami asked, and Ata blinked. He swung his right arm as he walked over to the table, placing a single artifact on the table. "He won't be a problem anymore." he said, Poe blinking in horror at the sight of Meteor Storm's helmet. "You fucking _stole his helmet_!?" He shouted in worry, and Ata rose a brow. He grabbed the helmet and lifted it, Poe's heart lurching at what was beneath it. "I'm not a complete idiot." he said, Tatsugami laughing heartily at the sight of the Meteor Storm Astro Switch. Kentaro blinked in confusion. "Wait, how did you manage to get this stuff?" he asked, and Ata rose his right hand, the gauntlet rising to the surface.

He flexed his hand twice, twisting his hand to show Kentaro the sapphire in the back of his gauntlet. "New form. While I was fighting an 'Imagin' or whatever, I began to awaken water based powers after absorbing the wellspring from Mei, so I figured that being around water was the only thing that would help me convert it into a new form, since I was in a windy forest when I got my wind form." he said, scratching his head with the Meteor Storm helmet spikes. "Meteor made it sound like you were dead." Poe noted, and Ata nodded, shrugging as he grabbed the switch and headed towards the bedroom, humming as he added the helmet and switch to his temporary trophy case.

"I was damn near close." he explained as he emerged from the room. "You see, when I realized that fighting Meteor at full force didn't do anything, and neither did taking damage, I realized that I'd have to probably empty my energy reserves for something to happen. And when I did, it wasn't nearly enough to beat Meteor, so he beat me." he said with a shrug. "You lost?" Kentaro asked, and Ata nodded. "Of course. Combined some kind of dropkick with this stupid attack that uses a top. Shattered my damn ribcage and sent me flying off a bridge. Still sore from crashing onto the rocks too." he said, rubbing his neck with a chuckle.

"You appear fine to me." Tatsugami said, and Ata shrugged. "My water based powers give me the ability to heal people, including myself to a degree. Actually transforming did the rest. My wind powers have also upgraded, and now I can use the wind like eyes and ears, which let me find you guys." he explained, something that Poe found odd. "But if your energy reserves were low and you were as heavily damaged as you were, how did you survive?" he asked, and Ata hummed.

"It's a little fuzzy to me, but I remember seeing a lizard of some kind before passing out. I was chuckling about it and when I was out, I had a weird dream about a whale scolding me about losing. All 'you're a disciple of that idiot Tu, get your ass up and fight' or something." he explained, blinking before slapping himself in the forehead. Poe sighed as he folded his arms. "You do realize that dreaming of Tangaroa isn't a very good explanation, right?" he asked, and Kentaro blinked. "Tangaroa?"

Ata hummed in confirmation as he walked to the front of the RV, sitting down and looking out the window. "Tangaroa is the Maori water god, or god of the sea. If I remember the legends right, after our Sky Father, who my wind form is named after, and the Earth mother were separated, Tawhirimatea, the Maori god of storms, went crazy, and Tangaroa took refuge in the sea, and he's the ancestor of all water creatures as far as I'm concerned." he said, and Kentaro grunted as he rose to his feet, limping over to the driver's seat and sighing. "And he helped you out?" he asked, starting the machine as Ata shrugged.

"Probably. Since I'm a disciple of his brother Tumatauenga, he probably got mad since Tu-sama was the one that taught humans how to fish and cook. Tangaroa wasn't happy about that. So if someone that was devoted to his brother was dying in his territory, he'd want them to get off his lawn and go do something that would keep them occupied, so to speak." he said, and Tatsugami chuckled as the Kurainer began to move once more. "You're a rather amusing fellow. It's a surprise you put up with the little man over here." he said, and Ata shrugged. "Poe looks out for me, so it's a fair exchange as far as I'm concerned." he said, turning in his chair and holding his hand out. "My name is Ata Nga Rauru Kitahi. Pleasure to meet you." he said, the Leo Zodiart taking his hand and shaking it.

A short while later, Kentaro glanced into the rear view mirror to look at Poe, who was dusting off his hat before placing it back on his head. "So, what's our next plan of action?" he asked, and Poe folded his arms and hummed. "We go back home." Ata said, Poe looking to him with a slack jaw. "Are you _insane_!?" he asked, and Ata glanced back to him, tilting his head. "I have the helmet and transformation device of a Kamen Rider's super mode or whatever among my wooden weapons from my home village in New Zealand. Explain to me what part of that sounds sane." he said, and Poe hesitated before grunting loudly. "And why are we going home?" he asked, and Ata chuckled.

"Simple. To teach those annoying fuckers in their colorful suits a lesson." he said, and Tatsugami hummed. "And what lesson would that be?" he asked, and Ata chuckled. "To not mess with the Black Knight, or his friend, the Emerald Samurai. Or his new friend, the 'Sapphire Savage'." he said, Poe blinking at the terms Ata used to refer to himself, sighing as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "And why now? We literally left about a week ago." Poe quizzed, and Ata chuckled. "I got a call from Hiro while I was traveling to help you guys. He says that his grandfather got jumped by two of them. The green train kid and Yakumo." he said, and Poe blinked.

"Their attacking the _elderly_ now!?" he asked, rather surprised at the actions of the two rangers. Ata nodded. "I need to at the least fight those two to see if I can pick up the wellspring's energy source coming from them. Maybe they're being driven mad by it like Meteor." he said, and Poe blinked, realizing that Ata might actually be right. "You keep mentioning 'wellsprings'. What are they?" Tatsugami asked, and Ata shrugged. "As far as we know they're concentrations of the energy source that my gauntlet is powered by. We don't know what it is, but it's extremely easy to manipulate. However, I'm the only person on record that _uses_ it without going mad. Mei was so pacifistic that it merely simmered inside of her, and Meteor was driven insane by it." he said, something Tatsugami hummed in response to.

"Would me or the driver be able to use it?" he asked, and Ata hummed. "Maybe you, since you seem to be strong enough to outmatch Meteor's base form. As for Kentaro, it'd probably pick out one part of his personality and push it to the highest degree possible, even if it gets him killed." he said, and Poe narrowed his eyes. "How do you know all of this? There isn't anything in Galahad's journal that would give you this information." he said, and Ata blinked. "Well, it _is_ my gauntlet, so I figure that I should know a little bit about it. Galahad also was likely not as combat proficient as I am, since according to Gabi Raizou-sensei, people that fight for fun and enjoyment are at base better than people that fight for a purpose, particularly a religious purpose like Galahad." he explained, something that made Kentaro glance to him.

"What does combat proficiency have to do with knowledge?" he asked, and Ata sighed, folding his arms. "I learn random things from fighting. It was a pain for my grandparents, since they couldn't teach me much. My Father didn't mind though, since he likes fighting almost as much as I do." he said, and Poe grunted. "Don't remind me. I've never seen monsters wiped out by a normal human like that before." he said, and Ata nodded. "You're right. Although, I don't think it would be fair to call Father a 'normal human'." he said, something that Poe chuckled in response to. "These suited people. How many are there?" he asked, and Ata hummed. "Well, if the one I injured has recovered, there would be thirteen of them, and five of us." he said, and Poe chuckled.

"That's better than the two on thirteen from a short while ago." he said, something that Ata laughed in response to. "Kentaro should be able to pick off Nagi and the blue train dude, who seemed pretty similar to him." he thought, looking to Stallone. "Stallone can work on wearing down Yakumo, since I'm not sure how magick works on a Ghoul." he said, and Stallone turned to them, the Ghoul having ignored the entire conversation to look out the window like a forlorn puppy. He grumbled, nodding in agreement without paying honest attention, shifting his gaze back to the ever shifting scenery. "And as for the rest, I'm sure it'll be pretty easy for the three of us." he said, referring to himself, Tatsugami and Poe, the latter of which seemed keen on one point.

"If this does happen, the red train kid is mine. Got it?" he said, looking to Tatsugami, who shrugged. "It matters not to me. As long as I get to enjoy myself." he said, something that made Ata chuckle. "Do you have any plans after all of this is over and there's no more fighting?" asked, the Zodiart shrugging. "Then I will go somewhere where I can fight. There isn't much that's that interesting to me." he said, and Ata nodded, honestly understanding where the other fighter came from. "You could always come to my village. We always have friendly disputes with fellow tribes and villages over random things. As long as it doesn't end up being fatal, of course." he said, earning a sigh from Poe, something that was drowned out by Kentaro's laughter.

That night, after their large vehicle stopped moving and Kentaro had fallen asleep after changing paths to head back to the place from whence they came, Ata and Poe stood outside of the Kurainer, the Kurou sighing as he pulled off his hat and leaned against the cold machine. "Is going back there really a good idea?" Poe asked, and his brother nodded. "Of course. For some reason, they're targeting Hiro, and I want to know why. Maybe it has something to do with this damn thing." he said, waving the gauntlet around. "I guess you might be right. But at the same time, it could be a trap, and there could be an army of fuckwits in colored suits waiting for us." he said, and Ata blinked. "What's wrong with that?"

Poe sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose with one hand as he placed his hat back on his head with the other. "I'm only looking out for us." he said, and Ata placed a hand on his shoulder and sighed. "I know, and I appreciate it. But sometimes, you have to do stupid shit for things to work out." he said, and Poe grumbled to himself. "You owe me for this." he said, and Ata nodded as he folded his arms. "Yes, yes, I know. That 'charity work' you mentioned. Tell you what, after we beat the shit out of the ToQgers and the Ninningers, I'll save cats from trees in full transformed garb and make friends with as many Kamen Riders, Sentai, monsters or whatever else exists that I don't know about. Deal?" he asked, extending his hand to his brother, who sighed as he shook Ata's hand.

"What should we do about those two?" Kasumi asked, the two groups holding a meeting of sorts to discuss the two males that were nearly crusading against a random, innocent child. "I don't have an honest clue." Mio said, the yellow train ranger finding the situation rather perplexing. "For now, I reckon the best thing to do would be to keep an eye on them and assist them if we fear for their lives." Kinji said, the star Ninger giving the first suggestion, something that the rest of them couldn't easily disagree with. "But what about this child they've targeted? Should we do anything about him?" Akira asked, and the rest of the colorful suited folk at the gathering hummed. "I think he's a good kid, but someone should keep an eye on him." Takaharu suggested.

"Wouldn't that be dangerous? I mean, Yakumo and Hikari were _both_ beat by his grandfather. Would any one of us be enough?" Nagi asked, something that made Kasumi narrow her eyes and hum. "Not if it was all of us." she said, catching everybody's attention. "What if we let Yakumo and Hikari do what they'd normally do, but interfere when things start to go south?" she suggested, and the rest of the rangers present all noticed that this was a rather decent idea. "And since they're gungho on going after this kid, by leaving them alone, they'll find him for us!" Fuuka said, giggling happily at how easy everything seemed to be.

The next morning, the Kurainer was moving in full force, heading back to the place from whence she came. "When we get there, what's the plan?" Kentaro asked, and Ata looked to Poe, deciding to let his brother plan out everything. "Ata should go meet up with Hiro. If Hiro, or his grandfather, was to see a big foreigner approach with a monster, a street fighter, a Yakuza and a golem-like creature flanking him, it'd be bad all around if you ask me." he said, and Ata hummed. "That'll be fine by me. Hiro said that he wanted to talk to me anyway. Something about introducing his grandfather." he said, and Poe nodded, rubbing his chin. "As for us, we should stick together just incase." he said, and Kentaro nodded.

"Those Sentai guys were a huge pain for you two, huh?" he asked, and Poe nodded. Tatsugami narrowed his eyes, as if the term was familiar to him. "Sentai? I believe I've encountered a group that used that name before." he said, and Poe tilted his head. "Which one?" he asked, and he shook his head. "My memory is rather fuzzy, but I believe they referred to themselves as the 'Gokaigers' or something similar." he said, and Poe's jaw went slack. "The fucking _Gokaiger?_ Sweet Merciful Papa." Poe said, rubbing his forehead and shaking his head. "Are they important?" Ata asked, and Poe nodded. "Extremely. Their ability is to use these objects called 'Ranger Keys' to change form into _any and every single Sentai member to ever exist._ " He explained, putting emphasis on exactly how varying their powers were.

"They sound tough." the foreigner said, humming. Poe groaned, realizing that Ata was likely thinking about how to fight them. "I'm not sure how, but they also have a Ranger Key that gives them access to the powers of one of the newer Kamen Riders, a fellow called 'Os', spelled with three Os. Fighting all of them would be an idiotic thing to do unless you were one of the five strongest Kamen Riders at the least." he said, and Kentaro chuckled. "That's probably what it would take. I heard a rumor that there was a Kamen Rider of some kind that really thought he was some hot stuff until Captain Marvelous took him out." he said, and Ata leaned back in his chair, finding everything rather interesting.

"But back to the original subject. We should search for Kyuuemon, the fox demon. If I remember correctly, Kyuuemon is the only one outside of this vehicle that knows Ata's identity." Poe explained, and Ata stuck up a hand, wagging his left index finger. "Meteor knows too. He's in a coma and also critical condition, so I wouldn't factor that in." he said, and Poe inhaled deeply. "You live your every waking moment to make me fear for which waking moment will be our last, don't you?" he asked, and Ata shrugged in silence. "Well, when Meteor wakes up and recovers, we'll be in trouble. But at the same time, that might not happen. So for now, we search for and either threaten or incapacitate Kyuuemon. Kill as an absolute last resort." he said, his eyes focusing on Tatsugami in particular.

"What about Rocky over there? He can't just walk around all willy nilly looking like that." Kentaro noted, and Ata hummed. "I think you're right. Maybe I can come up with a decent disguise." he said, his right fingers twitching as he began to think. "Ata, can you use your upgraded wind abilities in the inverted aspect? As in, send messages via the wind like you can receive information?" he asked, and Ata hummed. "I have no idea. I'll try it when we arrive, since there's no wind around." he noted. He narrowed his eyes, something else coming to mind. "When I showed up at the fight, I noticed that you were thinking about the journal. Any reason why?" Ata asked, and Poe shrugged.

"I was wondering if there was anything in there about how people besides the gauntlet holder are affected, since Meteor appeared to be acting out of character. However, you already had all of the information I would have looked for, which is also unusual." he said, and Ata hummed. "After we deal with our business with those two group of bumbling idiots, I'll take another look at the journal myself. For some reason, I feel like I'd understand it better since I'm stronger now." he said, and Poe nodded. "I'll make sure to remember that. Hopefully any new information you get will point us in the next direction we could or should go." he said, and the foreigner nodded in agreement.

"It'd help if I could at least figure out which direction the next wellspring is in." he noted, and Tatsugami narrowed his eyes slightly. "And why are you searching these things out?" he asked, and Ata shrugged. "No idea. It helps me get stronger, and I want to get stronger to one day wipe out the Igasaki clan for their disrespect. The fact that they're teaming up with the guys on Poe's shit list and targeting Hiro, a completely unrelated, plain old human, only justifies everything." he said, and Tatsugami began to laugh. "So that Meteor brat was only a stepping stone to you?" he asked, and Ata looked forward, his eyes not on anything in particular as he thought.

"Yes. If it meant balancing out the powers that be and getting my possibly unnecessary revenge, I will defeat any idiot in a super suit, any monster, any man, and if it somehow came down to it, any god that stepped in my way." he said, something that made Kentaro whistle. "That's a pretty big statement there Buddy." he said, and Ata chuckled. "I just want to fight. Whether I'm exacting my revenge on the Igasaki or mauling some agitating Kamen Rider or anything in between, in the end all that matters is that I got to fight."

"Grandpa Shigeru, how long will you be staying in town?" Hiro asked, and the legendary warrior of justice hummed, rubbing his wrinkled chin with a leather glove. "Well, I suppose I could stay in town for a while. It's not often I get to see you and your parents." he said, chuckling as he pat Hiro on the back as they walked the streets of the city, the sun shinning brightly, as if the cosmos were smiling on them. "But more importantly, what were with those two guys from the other day? They broke in and attacked me an everything." he said, and Hiro hummed. "They think I'm evil. I think I even heard one of them say that I stopped time or something." he noted, and Shigeru chuckled.

"They must be off their rockers if they think that someone's stopping time of all things." he said, shaking his head and sighing. "If they show up, I'll make sure to give 'em another walloping." he said with a hearty laugh. Exhaling as they turned a corner, the Rider turned to his grandson. "Speaking of which, didn't you have a friend of yours you wanted me to meet?" he asked, and Hiro glanced up to him and nodded. "I did. His name's Ata, and he's strong enough to fight off the monsters that sometimes show up in town." he said, and Shigeru nodded, rolling his jaw. "Sounds like a rather tough guy. Why do you want me to meet him?" he asked, and Hiro shrugged.

"He just seems like someone that you'd get along with. He even made friends with a Kurou." he said, and Shigeru blinked before remembering that his grandson was rather immersed in things pertaining to Kamen Riders and their allies and enemies, since his grandfather is a Kamen Rider. "And does he know about your powers?" he asked, and Hiro shook his head. "I don't like telling anybody. It's still weird to me." he said, holding his hands up and spreading his fingers as electricity cackled between his fingers. Shigeru placed a hand on his shoulder. "If he's fighting and making friends with monsters, I think a little electricity won't be too big of a shock."

Late that night, the quintet reached the city, using an empty parking lot as their resting place. Poe sighed as they ate, the Kurou reminding himself to go shopping while they were still in town, as they were running low on supplies with two more people than originally planned for. "Let's go over the plan one more time, since we'll head out early in the morning." Poe said, receiving a quartet of nods in return. "First, me, Tatsugami, Stallone in disguise and Kentaro will move out and search the city for Kyuuemon. If necessary, split into two pairs. Tatsugami and Kentaro will split off and leave me and Stallone. If you run into Kyuuemon, incapacitate him immediately." he began, explaining their rather simplistic plans.

"After incapacitating him, threaten him and say something along the lines of 'if you blab about Ata to the colorful fuckers I'll kill you' blah blah blah. However, if Kyuuemon calls for help and you find yourself outmatched, flee and meet up with either Ata or the other pair, or both if it's bad enough." he explained, receiving another quartet of nods. "Ata will do what he was asked, and go meet Hiro and his grandfather. Best case scenario is that we seal Kyuuemon's mouth shut and Ata makes friends with some old man." he finished, and Tatsugami folded his arms. "And what's the worst case scenario?" he asked, and Poe sighed, shaking his head.

"Worst case scenario is that Ata fucks up, we're not friends with Hiro, and we die fighting off an army of fuckwits because Kyuuemon teamed up with the ToQgers and Ninningers specifically to bring an end to our existences." he said, something that made Kentaro tug on the collar of his shirt, the Yakuza rather worried about the Sentai, Yokai tag team to kill them part. Ata shrugged in response. "All should go well. If worst comes to worst, leave me there and save yourselves. Since I beat Meteor without a problem, I'll assume that on average this new form is strong enough to at least take out most of the rangers. Can't guarantee anything until I start fighting them and gather information though." he noted, his unusual ability to perform recon while fighting their ace in the hole.

"And when we regroup here, we'll plan out our next move. Sounds good?" Poe asked, and a quartet of nods followed his questions.

Hikari and Yakumo grunted as they both rose to a sitting position, the pain and agony coursing through their beings beginning to let up, their breathing still labored and uneven from the beating they'd taken. "I won't…. stand for that." Hikari said in between pants, his sore fists clenching as Yakumo grunted in agreement. "I thought you were overreacting, but no one beats me like that and gets away with it." he said, punching his hand and grimacing at the pain that coursed through his body. "But how do we get past that monster?" Yakumo asked, the magickal ninja concerned about the lone warrior that defeated both of them with the same ease it takes a bird to flap it's wings.

"Simple. I heard the others talking about helping us if we look like we're in danger. Tomorrow, we jump that guy and they'll come to help because we're injured." Hikari said, a round of diabolical chuckles rising up in his throat as his plan slowly came to mind. Yes, they would attack the old man while the child wasn't around, and with the aid of the other members of their teams, they would overwhelm him and vanquish that green eyed fiend one and for all. And no one would, or could stop them. His chuckles increased in volume, his body forgetting all of it's pain as he began to laugh loudly, his plot of how to vanquish the evil in the city truthfully flawless.

The next morning, the motley crew of Ata, the Maori Kamen Rider, Poe, the genius Kurou, Kentaro, the Yakuza wheelman, Tatsugami, the white lion Zodiart and Stallone the stony Ghoul, all exited the massive machine known as the 'Kurainer'. Ata turned to Stallone, flexing his right hand and swiping his arm down, black energy washing over Stallone and shifting his appearance, the illusion casted to make Stallone appear like a slightly taller, heavier version of Poe, the Kurou shaking his head at how accurate the illusion was. "Well, at least you captured my best features." he said, smiling as he put his hand on his chin. "And what would those be?" Tatsugami asked, his dry tone causing Ata to laugh.

Poe scoffed, shaking his head as he tipped his hat to Ata. "Here's hoping that everything goes according to plan." he said, and Ata blinked. "Yours, or mine?" he asked, and Poe shook his head. "I'm not even going to ask what _your_ plans are, since it probably involves fighting everyone from Hiro's grandfather to the biggest, ugliest lunch lady in town." he said, and Ata blinked. "Could someone get entertainment out of seeing me fight a lunch lady?" he asked, and Poe felt his jaw go slack that Ata was _actually_ considering his statement. The big foreigner glanced back to his brother, launching before shaking his head. "I'm joking. I'm not going to fight some woman unless there's a deathly serious reason." he said, banging his fist against his chest in reassurance.

"That's good to hear, even though I don't believe it for a second." he said, pulling his hat off and running his fingers across his skull. "We meet back here at sundown and go from there. Got it?" he asked, and Ata nodded in agreement, the two high-fiving each other fore they turned, each heading in separate directions as the quartet decided to split up immediately, Kentaro and Tatsugami heading east while Poe and Stallone went west, beginning their day long search for the annoying fox demon with the magick hammer, while Ata engaged in a more leisurely task, simply going to talk to a friend and meet their family.

Hikari and Yakumo exhaled as they rolled their shoulders, both of them mostly recovered despite how recent their injuries were. "That healing spell worked wonders." Hikari said, something Yakumo grunted in agreement too. "It did. Now, let's go take down that green eyed bastard." he said, the train ranger's fists balling at the thought of those vibrant green, insectoid eyes staring down at him once more, his anger beginning to boil as the sound of that elderly man's eccentric laugh began to ring through his head, his body springing into motion as he set out from the Igasaki dojo, his blue, magickal friend following close behind, the rest of their teams already spying on them from the shadows, worried about not only their safety, but their mental states.

* * *

 _Done! I'm really, really happy with how this one came out, despite how much I feel like I struggled after the fights lol. I seriously, seriously appreciate you, yes YOU, reading this. This has already been such a wild ride, sorta. But once more I seriously appreciate and love you, and I hope you enjoy reading as much as I enjoy writing it. Thanks as always, Jiro 'The Ghetto Tohunga' Uchiha, OTF Inc._


	10. Haka 10: Kaha Ake

_What's goin on y'all? It's Jiro again, here for dee TENTH installment in this fic. I do hope you enjoy this one, as I'm going to try and make it as entertaining as I envisioned it being. Thanks again, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF Inc._

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"If we run into this Kyuuemon fellow, exactly how do we fight him?" Stallone asked, and Poe hummed as they walked the streets in broad daylight, the Kurou looking to the tops of buildings as he rubbed his chin. He shook his head, his left hand moving from his chin to the back of his neck as he shrugged. "We just fight. If we have to run, that's fine as well." he said, something the disguised Ghoul found odd. "So you planned out everyone's jobs but you didn't think out how _you_ were going to deal with the target?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "I've never fought Kyuuemon before, and from the one encounter Ata had with him, he used a projectile attack to catch him off guard." he explained as the duo turned the corner.

Stallone nodded. "I can fire projectiles from my hands if need be. Although I'm not fond of it." he said, rolling his right wrist. Poe hummed as he hesitated, the Kurou spotting something down an alleyway. "I'll think of a plan while we're moving. It shouldn't be hard, since you're nearly the same size as Ata." he said, jabbing his chin down the alley, Stallone nodding silently as the duo headed down the alley. "What did you see?" he asked, and Poe frowned, remaining silent for a moment. "Jukkarage I believe. They're the grunts of the Yokai. Pretty similar to Ghouls and Kurous actually." he said, something that made Stallone chuckle. "Something tells me that you don't believe that."

Ata sighed as he headed up the stairs to his old apartment, surprised that he was back already. _Not sure why I'm surprised. I'd have to come back to get the Igasaki eventually._ He thought, realizing that his primary targets, and the whole reason he accepted the gauntlet, had become a far flung thought in the back of his mind. He sighed, shaking his head as he knocked on the door, hearing someone speak on the other side of the door. He reached for the knob, grabbing and twisting it slowly as he opened the door, his constant weariness of battle keeping him on edge incase anything went wrong.

When he looked inside, he noticed that everything was exactly the same as they left it, something he found both weird and relieving. Hiro waved to him from the small couch they had in the center of the room, Ata nodding in greeting and relaxing his posture, realizing that there was nothing to worry about. _Hiro isn't good at keeping his composure, so if anything was wrong, he'd definitely be on edge at least a little bit._ He thought, bowing slightly as he sat down.

"It's nice to see you again, Tai." he said with a smile, Hiro bowing slightly as he chuckled. "How have you been, Ata-San?" he asked, and the Maori shrugged. "Been getting into a lot of fights with all sorts of people. Including this guy called Meteor." he said, Hiro blinking at the Kamen Rider's name. He leaned forward. "Really!? You got to fight a Kamen Rider!?" He asked, Ata blinking at his enthusiasm.

He nodded with a chuckle. "Sure did. Fought him twice and beat him the second time. It was really fun too." he said, and Hiro leaned back in his seat, letting out a big sigh. "I wish I could have seen you fight." he said, and Ata laughed heartily, glad that _someone_ besides Poe was on his side. "Maybe you will. You mentioned that your grandfather was attacked by them?" he said, the questioning statement causing Hiro's hands to ball into fists, Ata able to feel some form of power radiating off of his hands.

The Maori reached over the small table the duo sat at in the center of the room, grabbing Hiro's wrist and pulling his arm. He tilted his head as he allowed his energy to run from his own left arm to Hiro's, the boy's hand opening as electricity cackled between his fingers. Ata released his hand, folding his arms and exhaling. "Why didn't you say something sooner?" he asked, and Hiro blinked. Ata shook his head before he reached up and scratched it. "Those idiots are targeting you for some reason, and I bet those sparks have something to do with it." he said, pointing to Hiro's hands, which he quickly folded into his lap.

Tatsugami and Kentaro weren't havingn much luck in their search either, the duo searching aimlessly for the fox demon throughout the brightly lit streets. "Is there any reason that you decided to follow Poe and Ata?" Kentaro asked, and Tatsugami shrugged, rotating two shelled walnuts in his right hand, the Yakuza not entirely sure where he obtained the nuts. "I had nothing better to do. The fact that that idiot managed to beat Meteor only piqued my interest." he said, and Kentaro chuckled.

"I feel you. I tagged along because Ata managed to beat up my entire crew. If Poe didn't ask me to be the driver of that pain in the ass RV, I'd probably be fighting either cops or Yokai on a daily basis." he said, and Tatsugami chuckled as they walked onto a property that was rather familiar to Kentaro, as it was the same place that he met Ata, the beaten down hotel on the opposite end of the property. "So you decided to come back, human?"

Kentaro sighed, shaking his head at the sound of the familiar voice. "Of course I get stuck with this idiot." he said, him and the Leo Zodiart turning to face Kyuuemon, who was accompanied by a large group of Jukkarage. "Is there any reason you decided to show up in front of me?" he asked, and the fox demon covered the bottom half of his face with his oversized sleeve, laughing. "I happened to learn something special about you. And I'm sure you know what I'm talking about." he said with a sneaky grin across his face. Kentaro narrowed his eyes slightly, as if confused by Kyuuemon's statement. Suddenly, the Yakuza blinked in realization, swinging his right arm out and slapping Tatsugami on the chest lightly. "Transform. We've gotta shut him up." he said, the Leo Zodiart chuckling as he complied.

Ata tilted his head slightly, noticing that Hiro's own energy source was very noticeable to him now, something that he assumed was because of his own increased power. "How much control over the electricity do you have?" he asked, and Hiro shrugged. "I don't know. I've always tried to hide it and pretend I didn't have any powers to begin with." he said, and Ata groaned in frustration. "That makes no sense to me." he said, scratching his head and exhaling.

"If I had natural powers, I'd be flaunting them and honing them to their pinnacle." he said, the gauntlet rising to the surface of his flesh. "Instead, I had to rely on someone to get this thing. I'm almost jealous." he said, waving the gauntlet. Hiro locked onto the gauntlet, Ata noticing a twinkle in the boy's eyes, something that he assumed was from fascination. "You should try to get stronger. Maybe you could travel with me and Poe if you did." he said, something that caught Hiro's attention.

"I don't think I could get that strong." he said, and Ata shrugged. "You'll never know unless you try." he said, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Didn't you say that your grandfather was going to be here? Where is he?" he asked, and Hiro chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. "He said that he wanted to go get something for the three of us to eat since I told him that I was inviting a friend over." he explained, and Ata hummed. "Something seems off about that. But I can't figure out what."

Tatsugami threw a right straight kick, knocking back a Jukkarage as Kentaro threw a heavy, stiff left chop that struck a second Jukkarage in the neck, an audible crack being heard from the force of the blow. The Yakuza blocked another Jukkarage with a cross armed overhead guard, throwing a stiff left kick at the creature's midsection, following up with another guillotine like chop that struck the creature down with a surprising ease. "Any reason why you want to keep that idiot quiet so badly?" Tatsugami asked as they came back to back. Kentaro stepped forward, catching the blade of a Jukkarage in between his palms. "Don't worry about it." he said, jerking the blade to his right, pulling it free of the creature's grip.

Following up from the pull, Kentaro opened his hands, allowing the blade to fly forward until he closed his hands around the hilt, swinging the blade overhead and coming down on the skull of the Jukkarage, watching it crumple to the ground like a rag doll. He dropped the sword, turning to face Kyuuemon, who seemed rather relaxed as he stared down the Yakuza. "Are you sure you want to face me? You are a plain old human after all." the fox demon asked and Kentaro rolled his neck, cracking his knuckles and chuckling. "You might be surprised at what a 'plain ol' human' can do." he said, stepping forward and throwing a straight right jab. Kyuuemon stepped back, his hands folded over his abdomen casually.

Kentaro followed up as fast as he could, pulling his right hand back and throwing a high left kick aimed at Kyuuemon's skull. The fox demon leaned back, Kentaro using his trained muscles to stop his leg in midair and bring his airborne heel down, Kyuuemon being caught off guard and bringing his forearms up to block the boot flying at his chest. Kentaro felt his boot make contact with Kyuuemon's forearms and used the fox demon as leverage, jumping into the air and withdrawing his leg. As he came down, Kentaro tensed the muscles in his upper body, coming down with a stiff left elbow that broke the fox's guard. Kyuuemon stepped back instinctively, Kentaro following after the fox with a broad step forward.

The Yakuza inhaled deeply, his focus razor sharp as he swung his right arm in a broad knife edged chop. Kyuuemon noticed this, and Kentaro picked up on his reaction, throwing a left jab as a feint to throw off his opponent. Kyuuemon leaned back sightly, avoiding the Yakuza's fist as he leaned forward, his chop striking Kyuuemon in the left temple, cracking his mask and sending him skidding back. The fox demon snickered as he looked back at Kentaro, who stood panting, his stance low and unlike the disciplined Rhinoceros Fist stance that he expected. "Where is this strength coming from!?" the Fox asked, a question that was shouted with frustration evident in his voice. Kentaro stepped forward, a slow, lurching motion that belied a sense of arrogance.

"You should know _exactly_ where it comes from, _Mutt_." he said, Kyuuemon shouting in child like frustration, pulling his hammer and swinging it to his right, a long, thin blade extending from the rounded top of the hammer. Kyuuemon came down, a simple strike that Kentaro weaved away from, rising to his full height and stepping to his right. He closed in with a hooking left chop, striking Kyuuemon's left shoulder and causing him to stagger. The Yakuza followed up with a left uppercut that made Kyuuemon take a step back. "I'm surprised." he said, stepping back and taking the traditional Rhinoceros Fist stance.

Kyuuemon looked to Kentaro, blood trailing from the corners of his mouth. "If the Igasaki have such a problem with you, than they must not be that strong. Seems like Ata is wasting his time training to fight _those_ idiots." he said, and the fox grit his teeth as he stomped forward, jabbing the blade directly at Kentaro's chest. The Yakuza inhaled, leaning to his left and jabbing his left hand forward to slap the blade away, exhaling as he noticed Kyuuemon's other hand make multiple symbol like gestures. _Shit!_ Kentaro thought, realizing that Kyuuemon was finally going for some form of ninja technique.

The Yakuza stepped back as Kyuuemon rolled his body to face him, shouting as he spat a large fireball at the Yakuza. A shockwave flew past from Kentaro's right, striking the ball and sending it flying into the air, where it dissipated. "Don't lose focus!" Tatsugami shouted as he came down, his claws tearing into another Jukkarage. The Yakuza nodded, turning back to face the fox demon, only to find no one in front of him. "Fuckin' bitch." he mumbled in frustration before turning to the horde of blue Yokai that Tatsugami was dealing with.

Yakumo and Hikari glanced across the street from where they were positioned, the duo eying their target as he browsed local vendors happily, his air of nonchalance and confidence agitating both rangers. "When do we jump him?" Yakumo asked, and Hikari narrowed his eyes as the man moved from a ramen cart to continue his walk. "He's heading towards a big park. We'll get him when he reaches the park. Something tells me the others won't be far behind." he explained, the blue ninja nodding in response, beginning to move in tune with the elderly man that they targeted.

Soon, he reached the park and sat down on a bench, the duo that was following him opting for a hiding place that was in a nearby tree. The man sat comfortably, his legs crossed over one another and his arms spread wide on the back of the bench as he watched a group of children play soccer, a few of their mothers acting like coaches, a small cluster of older siblings cheering them on gleefully as the shortest child in the group kicked the ball as hard as he could, sending it flying from their designated play area directly towards the jovial man on the bench.

Shigeru's right hand shot out, catching the ball with an ease that belied his many years of experience in battle. Standing from the bench, he laughed and nodded to the children as he tossed the ball back to them, making sure to throw the ball lightly, his cybernetically enhanced strength making his lightest toss incredible to watch. He rolled his neck and sighed, rolling his shoulders as he turned to the tree the two rangers were hiding in. "Why don't you two come on out? There's no point in hiding." he said, the duo glancing to each other before leaping from the tree and landing in front of the legendary hero. Shigeru shook his head, reaching for his left glove.

"Are we going to do this the hard way again?" he asked, and Hikari chuckled as he pulled the small green train from his pocket. "Not likely. This time, we're going to take you down once and for all, Demon!" he said, the elderly Kamen Rider pulling off his other glove and nodding. He swung his arms to the left, bending his right arm in front of his chest. He slowly began to rotate his arms in broad clockwise arcs overhead, bending his left arm and holding it close to his left pectoral muscle. "Heeeeenshiiiiin..." He began before jabbing his left arm forward, crossing wrists with his right arm, which was still high in the air. "STRONGER!"

Hikari and Yakumo stepped back, watching Shigeru as his transformed form flew through the air, flipping and landing on his feet in front of them. He turned his head, lifting his right hand in front of his face and pulling on the white glove that covered his metallic hand, flexing his fingers as he began to chuckle. "So…. Which one of you two wants to take me on first?" he asked, the duo glancing between each other. Yakumo shouted, Shigeru's body shifting to the right, Hikari using the distraction to attack, throwing a hooking right roundhouse kick.

Shigeru laughed, a loud, eccentric sound that was accompanied by his body shifting to his left, throwing a high left chop to block Hikari's kick. "Electro… Fire!" he called, crossing his right wrist with his left, a stream of electricity shooting through Hikari's leg and causing him to shout in pain as he fell back. Shigeru spun in a counter clockwise direction and took a step back, responding to Yakumo's attack, which was a downward sword slash. "It looks like your friend isn't as strong as he thinks he is." he said, and the blue ninja's grip on his sword tightened.

"Attack him!" Hikari shouted, clutching his shocked right leg as he struggled to get to his feet. Yakumo jabbed forward, Shigeru remaining still as his unusual chest piece blocked the blade, Shigeru leaning back slightly to make the blade slide across his chest. He caught Yakumo's right wrist in his right hand, rolling it to his right as he leaned forward and exhaled. "Electro… Fire." he stated, a quiet, solemn attack declaration as he crossed his wrists, a shockwave shooting through Yakumo's arm as he fell to the ground.

"How long are we going to keep watching this?" Takaharu asked, the rest of the group camouflaged behind a small group of trees to the west of where the fight was taking place. "Just a little bit longer. We have to look for a weakness or something." Mio stated, something that Kasumi whole heartedly agreed with. "If we attack him now we'll have a temporary advantage because of the surprise factor. We have to wait to see if he exposes any weaknesses." she stated, something that the hot headed ninja wasn't honestly sure he agreed with.

Shigeru pulled on his right glove as the two rose to their feet, shaking their shocked limbs, as if the pain was like a bug they could shake from their flesh. "So you two want another dose of my Electro Fire? That doesn't bode well Fellas. Addiction isn't good." he said, wagging a finger like a scolding parent. Hikari shouted, pulling the Tunnel Axe from out of nowhere, something Shigeru noticed his Sentai brethren loved to do, and charging the green eyed Rider. Yakumo came from Shigeru's left, and he sighed. "Honestly, you kids are really stubborn nowadays."

Looking to the ninja first, he quickly and covertly crossed his wrists, turning to his left and throwing a right handed chop that Yakumo avoided by leaping over the cyborg hero. Shigeru turned to his right, blocking an overhead swing of the large tunnel axe with his metallic forearms, allowing Yakumo to land safely and spin to his right, coming around and striking Shigeru in the back with his blade, causing him to grunt at the impact as he chuckled. "You two aren't that bad after all." he said, shoving the axe forward as he turned to face Yakumo, his arms spread wide and his knees bent, stance slightly lowered.

However, before either fighter could respond, Shigeru lurched forward, a string of projectiles ricocheting off of his back. He spun to see a man in a purple suit walking forward with a large gun in his hands, train tracks wrapped firmly around his helmet. "Conductor!" Hikari shouted, the man nodding as he pulled the gun's grip back, folding up a blade that covered the barrel before picking up his pace, charging at the green eyed Rider with a bellowing war cry.

Taking that war cry as a call to arms, the hidden rangers all surged forth from the bushes, Stronger sighing as he realized that it was now Thirteen on One. He stepped back as the groups lined up in one long line, causing Shigeru to whistle. "So now Sentai groups team up to attack old men? I'm sure the boys upstairs wouldn't like that." he said, and Hikari narrowed his eyes. "What is that supposed to mean!?" he asked angrily, something that Shigeru only hummed in response to.

"Since it looks like you're all new, I'll let you in on a little secret." he said, tightening his gloves and flexing his metallic fists. "Sentai? Riders? Anyone else in a colorful, elaborate suit that fights evil? All of us are part of one cohesive unit, and that unit is led by the Council of Peace. At at the top of that Counsel are both the original, and the strongest Sentai leaders, and the oldest, and the strongest Riders. Imagine if they found out about you attacking little old Stronger." he said with a chuckle, his arms wide open, as if inviting them to attack him.

"That's bullshit!" Hikari shouted, believing that the elderly Rider was merely trying to deceive them, as his evil was no match for their sheer numbers. "Is it now?" Shigeru asked with a chuckle, the green train ranger shouting again and running forward, spurring everyone else into action against the Kamen Rider.

"Your grandfather sure is late." Ata asked, glancing out the window as Hiro grumbled to himself. "I told him not to take too long. He probably saw a criminal or something and went into a long speech about how great he is." he said, complaining to himself abut how eccentric his grandfather was. "A speech? So Japanese people have their own version of Hakas?" he asked, and Hiro tilted his head. "Haka?"

Ata nodded. "Before battle, Maori warriors perform a sort of ritual dance that is meant to both intimidate our opponents and declare our intentions. When we stick our tongues out, it's usually a symbol that we'll cannibalize our fallen foes, although we don't really do that anymore." Ata said, Hiro growing slightly uncomfortable at the fact that Ata implied cannibalism was still practiced in his homeland. "That sounds scary." Hiro said, shuddering at the thought.

Ata chuckled. "It can be. You should ask Poe about the first time he saw a Haka. He was working under some Shadow that tried to raid my home village, but our Taua, or War Party, met them and performed a fierce Haka before dispatching their force, which outnumbered us at least four to one." he explained, and Hiro blinked. "How did you guys manage to win?"

Ata shrugged. "Home field advantage, intimidation and superior battle skill. Most of the Kurous, and the Shadow itself were beaten by my family, my Father and Grandfather especially. I did pretty good if I do say so myself." he said, rubbing the wiry hairs on his chin and chuckling. Hiro nodded and chuckled at the information before glancing outside, noticing that the sun was beginning it's descent in the sky. "I'm going to call my grandfather. I hope nothing bad happened to him."

When Jo Shigeru heard his cellphone ringing, he sighed. He knew that it was likely his grandson, who was worried about his wellbeing after he was attacked by the two idiots that were pestering him at this very moment. He stepped back from the large, yellow traffic light on a stick known as the Signal Hammer, crossing his wrists quickly before he chopped the yellow train ranger in the right shoulder, shocking her arm and causing her to lose her grip on the hammer.

He threw his arms out at a high angle, blocking a pair of hooking roundhouse kicks from the pink and white ninjas. He rolled his arms in a backwards circle, tripping both of the girls without hurting them too bad before he spun to meet the orange train ranger, who for some reason came at him bare-handed, his weapon discarded. Shigeru blocked a right hook with his left hand, a chopping block that he followed up with a heavy right hook, knocking the train ranger back far enough to create a little space. Shigeru grunted, feeling pain in his back as he was struck from behind by the red ninja, stumbling forward into the blue train ranger, who used an oversized handgun weapon to shoot him at close range.

When he stumbled back, the pink train ranger struck him with a claw weapon she wore on her right hand, Shigeru able to absorb the damage and catch her by the left shoulder with his own left hand. He crossed his wrists, delivering an electric shock to the girl as she crumpled to the ground, another volley of projectiles striking him as he turned to see the gold ninja cowboy, something that Shigeru admitted was rather clever in design, and the purple train ranger, the two charging forward while firing projectiles in his direction.

Hiro looked to his phone, growing worried that the elderly man hadn't picked up any of the three times he called. "I hope he didn't get attacked again." he said, and Ata turned to Hiro, folding his arms. "You mentioned on the phone that his attackers were Sentai members, correct?" he asked, and the boy nodded, sighing as he squeezed his phone in his grip. "It was Yakumo and Hikari, the AoNinger and ToQ Yongou. For some reason, they get crazy when they're around me, and they've gone so far as to attack Grandpa Shigeru." he said, and Ata narrowed his eyes.

 _When they're around him? So there_ is _something off about this kid after all._ He thought, reaching forward and slapping Hiro's shoulder, hesitating slightly when he felt some form of energy pass between them, before shaking his head and passing it off as the boy's electricity. "How about I go look for him. Is there any way I can identify him amongst all the other old folks?" he said, and Hiro nodded. "I'll tell you enough about him so that you can spot him from a mile away!" he said, his fists balled, the boy enthused about aiding his grandfather in whatever way he could.

"You guys are persistent, I'll give you that much." Shigeru said, his breathing slowly getting heavier as he managed to create space between him and the thirteen rangers. _If this keeps up, I'll have to resort to using my Charge Up to escape. I don't think I can beat them without inflicting serious wounds._ He thought, remembering that they were still a pair of Sentai squadrons, making them valuable assets to society. Although, in his current situation, Shigeru realized that they were more akin to a menace to society.

The purple train ranger moved forward first, the other twelve surrounding Shigeru and preventing his escape. He came down with his blade, Shigeru stepping back and throwing a stiff right chop moving from left to right, aimed at the purple suited fellow's collarbone. The circling rangers came to his aid, the blue train ranger firing projectiles that struck Shigeru in the wrist, knocking off his trajectory. Luckily, the Rider was extremely experienced, using his momentum to lurch forward and jab his shoulder into the purple ranger's abdomen, lifting him up and tossing him overhead, only for a pair of red rangers to strike him in the chest with their blades, causing him to take a step back.

 _I've had enough of this._ Shigeru thought, quickly crossing his wrists before dropping to a kneeling position. "Electro Fire!" he called, digging his fingers into the grass they stood on, electricity somehow traveling through the ground and shocking the ten rangers that were circling him, knocking them back and surprising the two red rangers. Shigeru leaped up, extending his arms and clotheslining the two, taking them to the ground and rolling back, creating even more space. However, the purple ranger was already back on his feet and chasing after him, hopping forward and coming down with his blade.

Shigeru caught the blade between his palms and twisted his hands to his right, shifting the purple ranger's balance before moving his left hand and chopping him in the chest, pulling his arm back and repeating the process, hearing a satisfying thud of his metallic hands against the collarbone of the purple fellow before moving his right hand and throwing a heavy hooking right that rocked his opponent.

The orange train ranger was the next to reach him, using the fight as a brief moment of recovery. He began with a right high kick. Shigeru blocked with a high left chop, pushing his leg down and throwing a straight right punch. The orange train ranger leaned to his right slightly, using his left forearm to block, shoving the Rider's arm to the side before throwing a straight right punch that made Shigeru take a small step back. The Rider responded by jerking forward, crashing helmet's with his opponent.

"We've gotta finish him off quickly!" Hikari shouted, calling for the ToQgers to use their finishing move. "Distract him while we get ready!" he called, and Yakumo nodded, leading his allies into battle as Right swapped out the train in his morpher with the Hyper Ressha.

Yakumo flipped forward, coming down with his blade. Shigeru stepped to his right, throwing a right hook and knocking the blue ninja back before looking to the train rangers, noticing that they pulled out a large weapon that looked like a combination of a train station and a shotgun. _These Sentai guys need to turn down the creativity sometimes._ He thought to himself, chuckling aloud as he spun and stepped back, avoiding a pair of blades as they came down at him.

The red ninja jumped over the yellow and pink ninjas, flying through the air and jabbing his blade out. Shigeru stepped to his right and crossed his wrists quickly before hooking his arm around the flying ninja's head as he closed in, grabbing his belt and falling back. "Electro Brainbuster!" he called, driving Takaharu skull first into the ground, a small shock ringing out and zoning out his allies as Shigeru rolled to his feet, noticing that the odd train cannon was loaded with a large group of trains as the red train ranger pulled the handle and trigger back in a fashion akin to cocking a shotgun.

Shigeru had no more time to observe, as he he to duck and step back to avoid a flying dropkick from the gold ninja. "Whoa there partner, don't you know flying dropkicks are our thing?" he asked, chuckling as he watched the gold ninja stomp forward and throw a right straight side kick. He slapped the boy's leg down with his left hand, following up by stepping forward and throwing a right chop as he heard the train cannon make noise again.

 _So they need time to prepare the attack, huh? If I can get pas_ _t_ _these greenhorns, I should be able to disrupt that attack._ He thought to himself, stepping back from the blade of the yellow ranger. He shot his left hand out, grabbing the blade and tugging it from the child's grip before casting it off into the distance. "Kids shouldn't play with sharp things." he said, wagging his finger before balling his fist and striking the yellow ninja in the center of his helmet, turning and running at the train rangers, the five rangers, excluding the red and orange ranger, charging at him and intercepting him.

 _Shit. At this rate I'll have to either dodge or use Charge Up._ He thought, his pride not allowing him to flee from a group of children. Crossing his wrists, he stepped back and dug his fists into the ground, releasing another Electro Fire that made them step back. "Out of the way! We're ready to fire!" the orange ranger shouted, the others moving out of the way as the two fired their attacks, a pair of energy blasts that rolled together and flew straight at the legendary Kamen Rider.

However, Shigeru was one of the Seven Legendary Riders, and a group of kids wouldn't be able to do away with him that easily. Using his incredibly powered legs, the green eyed Rider leaped into the air and flipped backwards, a move that belied an incredible finesse and beauty, his smooth landing blending in with their energy blast striking a group of trees and exploding, wiping out a part of the scenery of this park that Shigeru enjoyed so much. He flexed his fists as he was once again surrounded.

However, this time, they were all heavily armed, and the red train ranger was donning some form of shimmering gold train on his shoulders like an elaborate chest plate, and Shigeru could feel the power radiating from it like the afternoon sun reflected off of it. He sighed, and lifted his hands to his chest, preparing to use his Charge Up form, a last resort that he felt both worried and embarrassed to use. "Charge..." he said, ready to throw his hands in the air and finish the transformation. His hands began to move up as he was circled by the young rangers like a pack of hungry hyenas, and Shigeru chuckled, swearing that he heard a whistle identical to his.

When the thirteen rangers all hesitated and began to look around, Shigeru realized that he wasn't hallucinating. He looked around himself as the group became fragmented, spreading out and beginning to search for the sound of the whistle, fearful that the Rider had summoned his allies. "Who are you! Show yourself!" Hikari shouted, a deep chuckle ringing out throughout the park, as if a divine presence was looming over the entire area. "Get out here coward!" Hikari shouted, Shigeru tilting his head slightly as he tightened his gloves.

"The Heavens call to me."

Hikari whirled around, the other rangers all turning to look in the direction he was facing, seeing nothing but grass blowing in a slight wind that accompanied the whistle. Shigeru began to retreat, realizing that this new presence wasn't on the rangers' side, and as he stepped back, he began to wonder if it was on his side either.

"The Earth cries out."

Tokacchi spun and fired his Home Trigger into the air, his breathing begin to grow shallow and rushed, his grip on his firearm beginning to quiver as he felt a dark presence reach out and touch his shoulder, causing him to scream in fear and drop his weapon, the other twelve rangers spinning and turning to face him, only to find nothing at all.

"The Crowd roars."

Akira listened closely, trying to determine if there was any audible movement. "I can't sense anything. Can you?" he asked, and the ninjas shook their heads, unable to identify any discernible energy and movement besides their own.

"They are calling on me to defeat the forces of evil!"

Shigeru hesitated at the line, realizing that the unseen speaker was reciting something near identical to his signature pre-battle speech. _Is this guy an ally?_ He wondered, taking a step back and creating a decent amount of space between himself and the rangers, the setting sun casting a shadow over the park.

"Listen, evildoers! I am the Warrior of Justice!"

The voice rang out as a black blur flipped over them, landing at Shigeru's side on one knee, like an ancient soldier saluting his captain. He rose to his full height, standing taller than Shigeru as he turned, his black armored form extremely familiar to the group. "It's him!" Right shouted, pointing at him and wagging his finger. Hikari's grip on his blade tightened. "Who are you!?" he shouted, the black armored figure chuckling.

"As I said before, I am the Warrior of Justice. My name is Kamen Rider… Maori, Maori Knight Form!" he said, balling his left fist as he threw his right hand up, ring and pinky fingers bent and index and middle fingers partially extended, Shigeru laughing as he realized that this new, unknown Kamen Rider was merely imitating him. "I'm flattered, but tell me. Why are you here?" he asked, and the knight chuckled, rubbing his armored hands together before lowering his stance slightly.

"I wanted to see how a real Kamen Rider fights, and besides..." he began, analyzing the group instantaneously. "Hiro was worried about you." he said, much quieter so that no one else could hear them. Hikari ran forward, all thoughts of strategy and defense forgotten, shouting like a wild berserker as he lifted his blade overhead. "I will slay all evil that crosses my path! Prepare to meet your end!" he shouted, and Ata chuckled, whistling as he stepped forward.

Hikari came down, and with one, fluid weaving motion, Ata caught him in a standing arm triangle. He stared down the other rangers before lifting his free left hand and spinning it in a circle before chuckling, lurching forward with Hikari in a tight grip before falling back, the sound of his helmet being throttled into the hard ground ringing out for all to hear as the knight rolled back onto his stomach and seemed to slither across the ground, his bright, white eyes locked onto the group as he slowly rose to his feet.

"Guys we have to get Hikari out of here!" the pink ToQger said, the group surging forward as Ata tuned to Shigeru, the green eyed Kamen Rider nodding as they both ran forward, the two groups moving with a near visible vigor about them.

Ata charged the dark energy into his right fist and swung, a straight right hand that struck Right in the chest, the red train ranger flying back as he engaged the remaining rangers with Stronger at his side. The green eyed Kamen Rider threw a wild right haymaker, striking Yakumo in the jaw, the blue ninja stumbling into Ata's right heel, a loud kick that knocked the magister off of his feet. His foot reached the ground as he ducked under the blades of Nagi and Fuuka, rising back to his full height as he exhaled.

Shigeru turned to his left and stepped to his right, avoiding the energy projectiles that the blue train ranger released. He chuckled, realizing that the wielder couldn't fire faster than he could move, closing in and throwing a slow, high right roundhouse kick that knocked the weapon from his palms. The Kamen Rider stamped forward, throwing his arms out wide before coming down with a dual handed chop that struck Tokacchi on either side of his neck, the force sending him crumpling to the ground like a discarded bag of garbage.

Ata used his right hand, slapping Nadagou's foot down, using his left forearm to block the Signal Hammer, realizing that his increased power made him more durable, and the same Signal Hammer that he worried would shatter his chest now barely pained his forearm, a signal that he was progressing much faster than his opponents. _This isn't a good sign._ He thought, shoving Nadagou's leg to the side and throwing a low right kick to sweep his other foot before turning to Mio. He caught the Signal Hammer in his palms, yanking it from her grip and discarding it.

 _If the ToQgers became child's play to me, than how am I supposed to have an honorable fight against the Igasaki!?_ He thought, growing slightly frustrated as he threw a right punch, watching the yellow train ranger fly back and hit the ground, bouncing and rolling. He spun, realizing that the rest of the rangers had surrounded Shigeru, and that Hikari and Yakumo had recovered. He balled his right fist, charging with energy by cocking it akin to a shotgun. He swung his hand overhead, bringing it down against the ground and dropping to a one kneed position.

The force of his attack shook the ground, knocking off the rangers' balance, allowing Ata to pick out a target and run forward. He leaped into the air, twisting his body to the left as he threw a right punch directly at Kinji. "Rider Punch!" he called, choosing to use the traditional Japanese accented English name instead of the Maori name he thought up in his fight with Meteor. The cowboy ninja turned to face him, and none of the rangers involved possessed great enough speed to stop Ata, his fist crashing into the gold ninja's face and cracking his helmet before sending him flying.

When he hit the ground, the remaining rangers had no time to hesitate, as Shigeru and Ata immediately began their attack. When Ata landed, he was in a kneeling position. Shigeru took this chance to run forward and leap off of Ata's back like a trampoline, flying through the air and spinning like a corkscrew. Ata rose to his feet, immediately blocking the blades of the white and pink ninjas with his armored forearms. He rolled his wrists, grabbing the blades in a tight grip and stiffly jerking them from the grip of the two ninjas. Remaining fluid, he immediately tossed them forward, making Rokugou and ToQ Ichigou hesitate.

Shigeru extended his right hand, his spinning ceasing as he swung his fist in an elaborate variant of the Rider Punch. "Ultra Punch!" he called, striking Nadagou in the face and causing him to stumble back. Shigeru crossed his wrists, dropping to a kneeling position and releasing an Electro Fire through the ground with both hands, shocking Nadagou until he crumbled to the ground. He rose to his feet and spun, catching the blades of Hikari and Yakumo with an extreme ease. However, in Yakumo's free hand was a wand, one that Shigeru noticed looked like something he'd seen over the years.

The blue ninja said something that Shigeru couldn't quite understand, and then waved the wand in his direction. He shoved his hands together, shifting the balance of the two rangers and clattering their swords together. However, the small, sparkling stream of energy that was released from Yakumo's wand continued on it's path, striking him in the arm. At first, Shigeru felt nothing, his body able to move fluently as he rolled around a downward slash from Hikari, catching Yakumo's blade between his gloved hands immediately after.

But soon, he began to feel heavy, and slightly tired, something he found off. He shoved Yakumo's blade to his left, stepping forward and throwing a straight left punch, the agile blue ninja stepping back and avoiding the attack. Hikari attacked from Shigeru's right, striking him across the chest and tearing his odd chestplate, causing him to call out in pain as he stumbled back, allowing Yakumo to follow up with another strike, knocking Shigeru off of his feet. He quickly rolled, rising to his feet and grabbing his chest and wincing in pain.

Ata heard the cry and immediately changed his objective. He looked to his right, seeing Rokugou charge him, blade in hand. He inhaled, using the energy reserves he had combined with his wind manipulation to increase his speed, shooting to the right and ramming his large, heavy right shoulder into the train ranger's chest, sending him flying through the air. Exhaling, he turned to Shigeru and continued his movement. However, the Signal Hammer struck him in the chest, the swing coming from his left. Ata felt his feet leave the ground, and his eyes moved to his attacker.

 _No wonder Poe wants this kid to himself._ He thought, landing on the ground and brushing off his chest as he stepped forward. "Get out of my way. I'm trying to save my friend." he said, using the conversation as a front to gather enough energy to simply blitz past the red train ranger, who was in his 'Hyper' mode. "It's not happening! That guy attacked my friends!" he said, his tone belying his child like naivety. Ata rose a bro, shifting the energy he gathered to his feet. "But they broke into his family's home, and attacked him twice. How is it okay to let them kill him?" he asked.

The train donning ranger hesitated, his grip on the Signal Hammer loosening ever so slightly as Ata crouched down. Right shook his head before slowly turning his head to glance back at Yakumo and Hikari, who were still delivering blow after blow to the injured Kamen Rider. Once Ata knew he was in the train ranger's blind spot, his muscles relaxed as he shot forward, simply shoving the red ranger out of the way as he reached Shigeru, blocking both blades with his bare hands.

Ata scoffed, squeezing the blades in his grip with a similar malice to the one he had for their wielders. When Ata yanked his arms in a downward direction, the blades snapped, the handles falling from the rangers' palms and clattering to the ground like dejected toys. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you right here and make a stew out of you." He said, a malevolent demand that made the two take a step back as Shigeru slowly reached his feet, his right hand on his somehow bleeding chest.

Shigeru reached up, putting his hand on Ata's shoulder and shaking his head when Ata glanced back at him. "Don't kill them." he said, a weak, wheezing statement. Ata flexed his hand twice, the gem in the back of the gauntlet shifting to a sapphire color as he held up his left hand, the aquatic energy Ata recently obtained slowly healing Shigeru's wounds and recharging his visibly drained electricity. "And why not?" he asked, the elderly man chuckling as his breath began to return to normal.

"Because that mercy is what would separate you from them." he said, and Ata hesitated, gritting his teeth beneath his helmet when he realized that Shigeru was right. If he was to kill them as they were now, seemingly mindless berserkers that see evil in everything, how would he be any different? Both of them would be members of groups known to protect peace and uphold justice, reduced to a group of murderous dog eat dog lowlifes. Ata shook his head, realizing that even _he_ wouldn't stoop that low.

He moved his hand, Shigeru's wound almost completely healed at the cost of over half of Ata's current energy reserves. "Then show me how to defeat them, Warrior of Justice." he said, Shigeru laughing at his dry, almost annoyed tone. Shigeru stepped forward, tightening his gloves before glancing behind them, the eleven rangers they left in the dust slowly regaining their composure. "First, we incapacitate the women and the weaker men, and then the stronger men can suffer our stronger attacks." he said, and Ata hummed before nodding. "Very well. You hold off those two, and I'll take the rest."

Shigeru chuckled as Ata turned around, the duo standing back to back, surrounded by a horde of rangers, the group making Ata briefly think of Fallen Angels, something about the analogy making him chuckle. He felt an electric shock in the center of his back, and took that as Shigeru's sign to move. The Black Knight vaulted forward, inhaling as he once more analyzed all of his opponents. _I need to immobilize them in under two minutes. If not I run the risk of running low on energy._ He thought, exhaling as his hands shifted into the 'Tiger Claw'.

The first person in front of him was Nagi, his analysis telling him that the yellow ninja's body was weak, Ata using his curled fingers to increase the damage dealt by his palm strikes. He watched his opponent acknowledge his presence and react, using his right hand and flipping his blade into a reverse grip before swinging in a broad arc. Ata ducked under the swing, throwing a hooking right claw strike that found purchase on Nagi's unguarded abdomen, making him lurch forward, doubling over in pain. Ata followed up with a left hooking palm that struck Nagi in the lower back, causing him to jolt into a vertical position, Ata rising up with him before striking him in the face of his helmet with his right palm.

Ata exhaled, hooking his fingers around the blocky shuriken on his opponent's helmet and bending his knees slightly before rising up, lifting Nagi off the ground slightly before quickly shoving forward. Using his left hand, which was still pressed against Nagi's lower back, Ata flipped the ninja, sending him crashing to the ground, landing on his shoulders and neck. Ata inhaled, turning and moving onto his next target.

Seeing that his the four rangers in front of him were all female, Ata hesitated slightly, as he wasn't truthfully fond of fighting women, especially women that weren't natural born warriors. _How can I disable them without fighting them?_ He wondered, stepping back from Kagura, the pink train ranger rather upset at him for some reason. "What did you do to Hikari!?" she shouted, Ata stepping back again as she jabbed the weird, claw like weapon she had at him. Ata watched her attacks closely, realizing that there was very little variance in the strikes.

Using this to his advantage, he caught her right arm in a loose grip and tugged her forward, charging a small portion of his energy into his right hand as he struck her in the neck, a knife edged chop that rattled her skull and knocked her unconscious. He exhaled, shaking his head as he looked to Mio, who had already swung the Signal Hammer at him in an overhead angle. "Answer the question!" she shouted, and Ata blinked as he stepped to his right. _Do they genuinely think I was involved?_

Ata sighed, throwing a hooking kick, swinging his left leg in an outward angle from right to left, the heel of his boot catching Mio in the temple and sending her crashing to the ground. "I'm completely unrelated to those two losing their minds. They fell from grace on their own." he said, shrugging as he turned to the two Igasaki ninja, who had already charged him. Ata noticed the shurikens placed firmly in the hilt of their blades, allowing him to explain why the blades that were swinging in his direction were aflame. He noticed that the attack was meant to be a pincher attack, leaving him no horizontal way to escape.

 _For ninja, they either aren't very smart, or can't keep their cool._ He thought, leaping over the blades without trouble. The two blades clattered together, Ata falling from the sky and landing atop the blades like a raindrop, his armor and body somehow able to be supported by the two flimsy blades. Ata noticed that behind the two females was the rest of his opponents. _Ichigou, Nigou, Rokugou, Nadagou and the Aka and Star Ningers. Shouldn't take too long._ He thought, immediately flipping off the blades and over the female ninjas' heads, another pair of knife edged chops removing their consciousness.

"Now that the girls have been taken care of, why don't we have a little fun?" Ata asked, stepping forward with his hands folded behind his back. "Silence! I will have my revenge for what you did to me!" Nadagou shouted, charging forward with his sword raised overhead. Nigou fired the Home Trigger from Ata's left, Ata exhaling as he fell back, unfolding his arms and spreading his hands, watching the projectiles fly straight over him, his hands hitting the ground as he extended both of his legs, planting both of his boots into Nadagou's abdomen before allowing his back to hit the ground, the rest of the rangers charging him.

Realizing that he was still surrounded, Ata jerked his body to the left, swinging his legs out as wide as he could as he placed his hands on the ground once more. Continuing to spin, Ata watched the feet of his opponents, noticing that they all stopped moving. Ata shoved forward, flipping back up to his feet and exhaling, lowering his stance slightly as he began to weave from side to side, releasing a single breath. Nigou and Rokugou immediately moved from either side of Ata, the blue train ranger releasing a frustrated shout as he swung the Home Trigger like a hammer, Ata twisting his body to the left and blocking it with both of his hands, using his stance to throw a stiff straight kick at Rokugou's chest, watching Nadagou come from the front.

Using Rokugou's body as leverage, Ata leaped into the air, twisting his hand to knock Nigou off balance and send the Home Trigger flying, his left leg striking Nadagou in the chest as he flipped overhead, the height of his flip allowing him to avoid the Star Ninger, landing behind him and catching him in a Sleeper Hold. Ata slid his right hand behind the gold ninja's head, pushing forward to cause more strain on his throat. He fell back, using his heavy, armored legs like vices, wrapping them around the Star Ninger's waist in a triangle hold.

Ata immediately took notice of everything around him. Rokugou, Nigou and Nadagou were recovering, and AkaNinger was heading towards him after checking on Nadagou. Ata exhaled, quickly tightening his hold as the gold ninja's flailing slowly came to a halt, Ata releasing the hold when his opponent stopped breathing, rising to his feet to meet Takaharu. Takaharu shouted wildly, coming down like an unskilled novice, allowing Ata to counterattack with more ease than he'd have liked.

Ata threw a stiff kick to Takaharu's abdomen, making him double over and drop his sword, his forward momentum completely stopped. Ata grabbed him in a belly to back waistlock, flipping him and hoisting him over his left shoulder. Ata dropped down to a kneeling position as he slammed Takaharu skull first into the ground, watching him bounce and land on his stomach as Nadagou recovered. Ata inhaled, charging forward with as much force as possible.

Nadagou shifted his blade back into it's gun form, allowing him to fire projectiles at Ata. However, he took too long, and Ata closed in too fast. As Nadagou aimed and fired, Ata ducked down and leaped forward, his left shoulder slamming into Nadagou's abdomen and lifting him into the air, Ata abruptly shifting himself towards the ground. Nadagou struck the ground hard, Ata's massive from rolling and landing atop him, his internal organs suffering heavily as Ata moved with his momentum, flipping up to his feet and exhaling. _I'm down to Nigou and Rokugou. This should be rather easy._

Ata rolled his neck, glancing to Shigeru, who seemed to be doing rather well after Ata reduced his number of opponents and recharged him. _Even though he's a cyborg, age still seems to get to him. Maybe he needs a tune up._ Ata thought jokingly, chuckling to himself as he stepped over Nadagou's disabled, writhing form. He glanced across the ground, seeing eight other unconscious rangers, his hands beginning to quiver as he thought back to when the Shadow attacked his village, and the sight of defeat Kurou scattered across the ground like dead leaves.

Nigou had the Home Trigger back in his grip, and the weapon was leveled at his skull, Ata chuckling as he walked forward. He watched Tokacchi shudder, the fear very evident in his posture, Ata able to see Rokugou coughing as he slowly rose back to his feet, his blade in hand. Ata inhaled, humming to himself as he lifted his left hand. " _ **Hira.**_ "

The command left his lips less than a second before the gauntlet's gem began to glow, and his shield appeared in his left hand. Ata noticed that it was different, the previously blank black face of the shield now decorated in intricate green and blue knot work to symbolize his increased power. Ata rolled his left shoulder, glancing to his left before looking forward, sighing at his two opponents. "Let's make this quick. It's almost time for dinner." Ata said, glancing to the sun as it continued it's descent in the sky. Nigou shouted, rapidly firing the Home Trigger, Nadagou taking his attack as a symbol to follow up.

Ata ran forward, keeping a close eye on Rokugou, who was now charging him from behind. He lifted his shield to block the projectiles, glancing down and noticing Nigou's feet as he closed in, exhaling as he pulled his shield back, thanking the gods that this fight was taking place in an open children's park, allowing him more room to both fight and think. Nigou hesitated as he pulled the shield back, as if confused that he'd abandon his effective defense. Ata became slightly agitated at this, and put more force into his attack, swinging the shield like a club at his foe.

The shield crashed into Nigou's chest, Ata pulling back and jabbing it forward into his chest again, releasing it and opening his right hand before quickly closing it and turning to his left, Nigou sliding back before the shield self destructed, Rokugou's battle cry drowned out by Nigou's cry of pain as he was engulfed in an explosion.

As expected, the defeat of Nigou pushed Rokugou over the edge, the angry train ranger discarding his weapon as he reached Ata, throwing a right haymaker instead of using his sword. Ata caught his opponent's fist, shoving it back and exposing his chest as he inhaled, charging even more energy into his fists, his body feeling weaker due to a lack of energy. However, he made up for it with raw physical power, stomping forward and tensing all of the muscles in his body. _**"Zenith Palm Thrust!"**_ he called, slamming both of his palms into Rokugou's chest, hearing audible cracks as the orange train ranger went flying.

 _That took way too fucking long._ He thought, immediately shifting his focus and running towards Shigeru. Reaching him in less than twenty steps, he caught Yakumo by the back of the neck and tossed him like a rag doll., sending him crashing into Hikari, shaking his head as they fell like dominoes to the ground. Shigeru tightened his glove, chuckling as he stood next to Ata. "You're actually pretty good. I think a lot of the older Kamen Riders would like you." he said, slapping Ata's chest in a friendly fashion. Ata chuckled, bowing slightly in thanks. "I'd sure hope so." he said, looking to Hikari and Yakumo. "Shall we?"

Shigeru laughed, a loud, eccentric sound that Ata couldn't help but emulate as the two bumped the sides of their fists together before jumping into the air in sync. Shigeru crossed his arms before rolling in a flipping motion, Ata mimicking the flipping motion, Ata throwing his left leg out as Shigeru twisted sideways and jabbed out his right leg. "Stronger… Den… Kick!" Shigeru called, Ata remaining silent as their boots struck, Ata's striking Yakumo and Shigeru's striking Hikari, the impact akin to a pair of divine hammers of justice, striking them with intense force that sent them both flying, their bodies wracked by the intense damage from the mighty power of the two masked riders.

"We're not done yet." Shigeru said, and Ata blinked, looking ahead at the clearly defeated rangers, who could barely rise to their feet. Ata followed Shigeru as he began to walk over to them. "Really?" He asked, rather surprised at the Warrior of Justice's actions. The green eyed Kamen Rider nodded. "They need to be sternly and strictly disciplined for their actions." he said, looking down at Hikari. "Grab that one." Shigeru said, pointing to and referring to Yakumo like an extra child's toy.

Ata grabbed the blue ninja by the collar, hoisting him up into the air as he looked to Shigeru. "Follow my lead." he said, and Ata nodded, mimicking Shigeru as he placed his hands on his opponent's shoulders and bent his knees. With a loud, noble cry, Shigeru vaulted himself high into the air, Ata following after him as he watched very closely. "Now drive him to the ground like this!" Shigeru shouted, grabbing Hikari's hip and rotating him, his skull pointing directly at the ground.

Ata mimicked, watching Shigeru rotate Hikari and place his feet on the young ranger's biceps. Ata decided _not_ to do that, as they were already falling from the sky, the two deranged rangers set up for a gruesome pair of piledrivers already. "Reversal Breaker!" Shigeru called, grabbing Hikari's ankles as he slammed him skull first into the ground, the ground shattering beneath the impact as Hikari was buried halfway into the ground, his almost lifeless legs sticking up like morbid flowers.

Ata mimicked Shigeru, driving Yakumo into the ground. However, due to Ata's positioning being different, Yakumo's skull hit the ground and his body bent and crumpled from the impact, the blue ninja landing on the ground and bouncing before landing on his stomach, his spine visibly damaged from the attack. Ata grimaced at how damaged his spine looked as Shigeru sighed, walking over to Yakumo and stomping his spine to force all of the vertebrae back in place. "That is why you grab the ankles."

"Did you guys really fight together!?" Hiro asked, seeming rather excited. After a brief discussion with Shigeru on the walk back, Ata called all of his allies, who were all present, and scattered about the room randomly. Ata chuckled, nodding as he rubbed the back of his neck. "I have to admit, Mr. Shigeru was something else. The fact that he has another, much more powerful form honestly makes me glad he's on my side." he said, Shigeru chuckling at the statement.

"You aren't something to scoff at either. Especially since you told me you have two other forms I didn't get to see." he said, and Ata smiled, glad that he could find someone that appreciated fighting as much as he could. "Did he use any cool moves?" Hiro asked, and Shigeru hummed. "Sure did. His Rider Punch and Kick are just as powerful as mine, if not moreso, and his martial arts skills are something I haven't seen in such abundance since Super-1." he said, referring to another older, veteran Kamen Rider.

Poe stepped forward, his arms folded and a slight frown on his face. "Mr. Shigeru, how long will you remain in town?" he asked, and the elderly Kamen Rider leaned back in his chair, narrowing his eyes slightly. "Why do you ask?"

Poe sighed, glancing to the ground briefly. "Because those two teams are becoming more and more of a nuisance every week. It's almost like they have a disease and it's becoming terminal." he said, something that Shigeru couldn't honestly disagree with. "I will stick around. Don't worry about us. I have a few friends I can call. Fellow Riders and Sentai that wouldn't have a problem with putting them in their place." he explained, and Poe seemed to visibly relax.

"That's good to hear. Should we get going?" He asked, and Tatsugami, Kentaro and Stallone all nodded. Ata shrugged. "Guess it can't be helped." he said, rising from his position on the couch. He looked to Shigeru and bowed. "It was an honor to fight alongside you. I've always wondered how a good Kamen Rider fights, and I wasn't disappointed." he said, and Shigeru narrowed his eyes. "Good Kamen Rider?"

Ata nodded, glancing to Poe and jabbing his head towards the door, the Kurou nodding as the others began to file out of the room. "Yep. There's another Kamen Rider, called 'Meteor', who I had problems with." he said, and Shigeru seemed to visibly relax. "I see. I thought you were referring to something else." he said, seemingly more to himself. Ata bowed, shaking the Kamen Rider's hand before looking to Hiro. "Don't be shy about your powers. You should train them. Maybe one day, you could be a Kamen Rider like me and your grandfather. It'd be pretty awesome if I could train and fight alongside you." he said, nodding as he departed.

Hiro watched Ata leave, contemplating what he said as he turned around, glancing to his hands and opening them. _If you want to be strong enough to fight with him, you have to do something about those idiots running rampant around the city._ A voice in his head stated, Hiro sighing to himself. He recognized the voice, and was nearly convinced that voice was the reason those two groups were not only targeting him, but also losing their sanity and sense of justice.

* * *

 _Finished! I'm sorry it took SOOOOOOO long to write, but my drive (ba dum tiss) was pretty low lol. I do hope you enjoy, as we will move into more important things after one or two lighthearted chapters._

 _Also, if interested, check out my wordpress blog, which is mostly Toku themed: .com_

 _Thanks a lot._

 _PS: To the anonymous reviewer: I've always found myself a fan of sick jokes, if ya feel me._

 _Thanks for your views and support, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha_


	11. Haka 11: Manakore

_Hello everybody, it's me again. Now, this chapter might not be out for a long time, since I'm going to be working until November, so please don't be surprised if this is the only chapter released for the next 5-6 months. I am putting in a lot of work structuring the future of this story though, so come November -April, expect a decent amount of content. I hope. Thanks again, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF INC._

"How long have we been at this?" Ata asked, glancing to the passenger seat of the Kurainer, where Poe was silently manipulating a small laptop, grumbling to himself in response to Ata's question. He glanced back to his brother, his fingers finally ceasing their infernal clacking on the keyboard.

"It's only been a week since you and Shigeru fought that gang of idiots. They should still be injured, and Meteor should be as well." he said, and Ata grunted, glancing out the window at the Japanese suburb they were traveling through. "What kind of asinine task am I engaging in today?" he asked, and Poe shrugged.

"Whatever suits my fancy. You _did_ agree to do forms of 'charity work' to make up for the fact that you've disabled two Sentai teams and a Kamen Rider with government connections." he noted, and Ata rolled his eyes, regretting that decision. "I did, but I wasn't aware that I'd be fighting fodder and saving kittens from trees for a week straight. I'm sure I'm not the only one whose tired of it. Right?" Ata asked, the other three people present remaining silent.

Ata groaned in response to their silence. Poe's eyes scanned the screen of his laptop, Ata noticing that Poe leaned forward ever so slightly, as if his interest was piqued by something. "I found it." he said, and Ata rose a brow. "Found what?" he asked, and the Kurou lifted the laptop, showing the screen to his brother, who blinked. "It looks like a Public Service Announcement." he noted, and Poe chuckled.

"It's a couple hundred miles away, but there's an influx of 'Makamou', monsters very similar to Japanese folklore, and a group called 'Takeshi' are looking for help. I think we should help them out." he said, and Tatsugami chuckled, folding his arms as he glanced to the train robber.

"And why should we?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "Takeshi is the organization that's in charge of the 'Oni Riders', a large, country wide group of musically themed, demon Kamen Riders. I figured that maybe Ata can spar with a few of them, and shit, if he's lucky he'll run into Hibiki, the most prevalent Kamen Rider of 2005. He's not the strongest by any means, but he's easily the most physically fit outside of his transformation. Could make for a good ally." he noted, and Ata hummed.

Leaning forward and placing his elbows on the table in front of him, he scratched his chin for a moment. "So you want us to fight monsters to help out demon superheroes?" he asked, receiving a single nod from his brother. Ata shrugged before chuckling. "Fuck it. Let's go for it. It beats getting kites from trees to stop kids from crying." he said, and Poe laughed in response to his brother's statement.

Back at the Igasaki Dojo, things were far from alright. The groups, now both residing in the dojo, were all injured, and operated in smaller groups to fight Yokai to avoid further injuries. Yakumo and Hikari suffered the worst injuries, with both of them being immobilized for days after the attack, and struggling to walk thereafter. The group was resolved to recover however, and the ToQGers were making strides in recovery.

Except for Nadagou, who was once more put on the shelf due to heavy internal injury, with the Rainbow Line reporting that he suffered a ruptured kidney along with ten cracked ribs and bruised lungs, amongst other injuries. With the Igasaki laid up in the dojo, the ToQGers, minus Hikari, were out fighting crime and evil, something that agitated the green ranger.

"I can't believe I'm not out there with them." he said, balling his fist and slamming it against the nearest wall. "It's understandable. You suffered arguably the worst injuries." Kasumi said, the pink ninja the voice of reason as always. Hikari cast a glare in her direction, his teeth grit as he remained silent.

"Kasumi's right. You can't always fight." Tsumuji said, the older man walking into the room with groceries in one hand and a newspaper in the other. Sitting the newspaper down, he sighed as he headed towards the kitchen. Hikari glared after the man, finding him a nuisance that attempted to hinder his destruction of all evil forces worldwide. He turned his gaze towards the newspaper, and hesitated.

Jumping up from his spot on the floor, ignoring the pain in his body, he vaulted forward and grabbed the newspaper, blinking in awe at what was on the cover. The headline read, in big, bold letters: **Black Knight Evacuates Burning Building. No Casualties.**

Hikari couldn't believe what he was reading. Did this newspaper really just depict his attacker as a hero? One that saves children from burning buildings? _This is preposterous._ He thought, glancing to the garbage to see another familiar sight on the front page, which hung lazily over the discarded wad of paper.

Hikari tossed the paper in his hand haphazardly, ignoring that it split apart and went flying across the room, dropping down and grabbing the wrinkled paper from the garbage, spreading it out and reading the wrinkled, bold letters across the front page, noticing that the two papers were released back to back, with this one being marked for yesterday. "Emerald Enigma helps kickstart clean energy project." he read, skimming through the article.

"Using his powers, which are wind related, the Emerald Enigma, a dazzling samurai with a _kind_ disposition, was able to help us generate a large amount of electricity through our air turbines. It's a miracle that this man came along. Otherwise, we'd be stumped with how little wind there is." he read, his teeth grinding together as his hands balled into fists, wrinkling and tearing the paper in his hands. _This can't be._

Hikari released a bitter chuckle, a sound that was more like a shocked exhale than anything else. He couldn't believe it. The man that defeated all of his allies, and injured him to this degree, was being venerated as a hero by the public. _No._ He thought, shaking his head as he simply laid down where he was, his body throbbing in agony. _I will not let him poison the minds of the innocent. I shall expose him for the monster he is._ He thought, balling his fists in anger.

However, his anger soon dissipated when Tsumuji walked into the room holding a phone in his hand, a brick of a device that would normally function as the household's universal phone. Hikari noticed that the older man walked over to him and held the phone out to him. When he cast a confusing look in Tsumuji's direction, the Igasaki patriarch shrugged and said "It's for you."

Hikari took the phone, gritting his teeth at the pain that erupted through his right arm and shoulder, placing the phone against his ear and exhaling. "Hello?" he asked, his tone making the greeting more akin to a question, as if he was confused. He heard a chuckle on the other side of the phone, a smug sound that made him narrow his eyes slightly. "How are you doing? Banged up?"

Hikari's grip on the phone tightened as he began to grow angry, his face flushing with heat as the tension from his anger caused his body to scream in pain, a whimpering sound escaping from between his grit teeth as he clenched his left fist. "What the fuck do _you_ want, you monster?" he asked, hearing a whistle from the other side.

"It sounds like somebody's a bit angry, huh?" the voice said, and Hikari began to growl in anger, something that seemed to amuse the person he was talking to. "Relax. I only want to help you." the voice said, and Hikari hesitated, his tension relieving slightly as he frowned. "After all you did to me and Yakumo? You expect me to believe that _you_ will help us?" he asked, and the voice on the other end hummed.

"Of course. You see, after Hiro spoke with the 'Black Knight', I came to realize that things weren't going according to my plans." the voice said, and Hikari scoffed, a bitter sound that seemed to please the being he was speaking to. "And you want what? To help me clean up your mess?" he asked, and the voice grunted in confirmation.

"You see, the Black Knight has a weakness he's not aware of." the voice said, and Hikari immediately locked onto the voice he was hearing, his body's aches and pains once more forgotten. "A weakness?" he inquired, trying to sound less desperate then he was. The voice chuckled, and Hikari could tell that whoever was speaking had a smile on their face. "But of course."

"You see, this 'Black Knight' is powered by an energy source that is manipulated via his will and emotions. If you break his will, or cause him to lose control of his emotions, he will become much weaker. Weak enough that I think you could defeat him for me." The voice said, and Hikari narrowed his eyes.

"And how do you expect me to find him?" Hikari asked, and the individual on the other end smiled, rather pleased by the response he received. "It's rather simple to be honest. After your group has fully recovered and trained a little to remove some of that rust, I will send the Black Knight's location to you. All you have to do is go there and demand to see him, or to see Poe, the Kurou he travels with." he said, and Hikari narrowed his eyes, slightly suspicious at all of the information this person seemed to have.

"And why should I believe you?" he asked, hearing a sigh on the other end. "Do you think I could make up that taking out Poe will send him into a frenzy that will also weaken him? Come on now, I think even you know better than that." the voice said, dragging out the last word in a playful sense, as if he was baiting Hikari. Hikari grunted, exhaling. "Fine. We'll have recovered within a couple weeks at the most. You better not be bullshitting me, or I'll take down Hiro for aiding you." he said, hanging up before he could get a response.

Putting the phone down, Hiro exhaled, blinking as if he'd just realized where he was. "Why did you tell them all of that?" he asked, regardless of the fact that he was alone in the room he was in. He heard a chuckle in his head, seeing his reflection in the nearest window. Hiro could tell that the reflection wasn't him. It's skin was bronzed, and it's hair was darker as well, almost like an alternate palette in a video game. "I'm only doing what is needed to fulfill my ambitions." the reflection said, and Hiro balled his fists.

"But you told them how to beat Ata!" he said, his fists beginning to spark, the cackle of live electricity spreading from his hands up his arms. The reflection whistled, pointing to his hands. "That's one of the reasons. Your powers only seem to work when you get angry. So if I keep you mad, I can help you train your body." he said, and Hiro blinked, looking to his hands and exhaling. The reflection folded it's arms, sighing and shaking it's head.

"Relax, Kid. Ata is completely safe. Everything I said to them was bullshit for the most part. Ata has no weakness. His will is unshakable, and he's using that gauntlet with little to no drawbacks unlike his predecessor." he explained, and Hiro blinked. _He's trying to set the Ninningers and ToQGers up. But why?_ Hiro thought, frowning as he narrowed his eyes. "What is your goal anyway?" he asked, and the reflection only smiled and said one thing. "I want Ata to win 'Our Game'."

"You think it's a good idea to stop here?" Kentaro asked Poe, the Kurou nodding as the group began to file out of the Kurainer, the driver glancing about as he shrugged, deciding not to argue with the groups apparent mastermind. They had traveled at least a hundred and fifty miles, meaning that there was a chance they might reach their destination tomorrow, should the roads be free of traffic.

With the group standing outside the Kurainer, they began to glance at their surroundings. They pulled off onto a dirt road, parking the large vehicle in a patch of trees, hoping that the trees and the dark of night would provide cover, as all of the windows and curtains were sealed and pulled down to prevent any light from escaping from the machine, giving away their presence.

Ata narrowed his eyes, spreading his right hand's fingers, as if trying to feel for something. Kentaro picked up on this, furrowing his brow in confusion. "Something up Ata?" he asked, the Maori warrior shaking his head as his fingers relaxed. "I thought I sensed something. Turns out it was just my imagination." he said, walking forward and taking in a deep breath through his nose.

His eyes scanned the trees surrounding them, and he exhaled. "I'm going to look for something to eat. I'm sure that there's at least a rabbit or two in this forest." Ata said, and Stallone grunted in agreement, the stony imp choosing to follow Ata as he walked into the forest, their forms disappearing as Poe sighed, shaking his head. "Well, I guess I'll stand around as a lookout of sorts. Who knows if any of Meteor's allies know we're here." he said, and Tatsugami looked to him, chuckling and shaking his head before folding his arms.

"I highly doubt that. That brat didn't play too well with others." he noted, making Poe nod while rubbing his chin. "Still helps regardless. The Igasaki were given a pretty bad beating, and if my sources are correct, the Igasaki made friends with the president of some country wide ninja alliance." he said, scratching the back of his head. "So if you hear me scream and find me on the ground with shuriken or kunai stuck in my flesh, hide. We don't all need to become living dart boards."

Kentaro shrugged. "I don't mind fightin' a coupla ninjas. Beats sittin' around and listening to you nag everybody like a stingy grandmother." he said, causing Poe to shake his head and sigh. Before either individual could say anything, Kentaro's phone began to ring, something that he found unusual given their location. "You still get service out here?" he asked, and the Yakuza shrugged, pulling the flat device and looking at the screen, shaking his head and sighing. "It's only my Pops." he said, heading back into the Kurainer and answering the phone.

"Has Kentaro ever mentioned his father before?" Tatsugami asked, and Poe shook his head. "Surprisingly enough, I don't know anything about Kentaro. Ata might know more than he's told me, but as far as I know they're just two dudes that like fighting. We don't even know if Kentaro has a surname." he noted, and the Zodiart hummed, rather interested and amused that the ragtag group he joined was more of a squadron of street fighters than actual friends.

"Surprised to hear from you." Kentaro said as he sat down, hearing a chuckle in his ear. "I am your father you know."

Kentaro grunted, scratching his head and sighing. "I'm aware of that. Is there something wrong at home?" he asked, and the man on the other end grunted, a sound that Kentaro took as a 'no'. "I was just checking up on you. You've been rather absent at home since quitting SCRTC." he said, and Kentaro sighed. "I'm fine, so tell Mom not to worry about me. I'm on a trip with some friends right now. Nothing delinquent or against the law, so you don't have to worry either."

Kentaro heard a hearty laugh on the other end, as if something he said was amusing. "I'm not a cop or anything. I don't care if you're breaking the law, as long as you're willing to accept punishment if and when you get caught." he said, and Kentaro chuckled, a slightly arrogant sound. " _If_ I get caught." he said, the wheelman confident in his ability to evade authorities, much like he'd been doing for years as the leader of a small group of Yakuza.

Walking through the forest, Ata continued to flex his right hand every once in a while, swearing that he sensed something unusual. He glanced to Stallone, who was following along silently. "Can you sense any form of unnatural energies? Like magic or something?" he asked, and the Ghoul hesitated before grunting, a higher pitched sound that came off as a 'yes'. Ata hummed, scratching the wiry hairs on his chin, noticing that they were less wiry as his facial hair continued to grow.

"Can you sense anything? I feel like I'm picking up traces." he said, and Stallone threw his head back, looking at the night sky briefly before looking back to Ata and pointing to the left, as if he sensed something. The duo set out in that direction, Ata's right palm tingling ever so slightly.

Back at the Kurainer, Kentaro sighed as he stepped out of the vehicle, seeing Tatsugami and Poe merely looking into the forest, as if waiting for something to come at them. "You two look tense." he said, and neither of them budged, Kentaro noticing that Tatsugami's mouth twitched up in a smile ever so slightly, something that was rather hard to see in the dark, night time forest. The Yakuza looked up to the sky and sighed, realizing that the trees were dense enough to reduce the amount of moonlight that illuminated their surroundings.

"Say Poe, is there any way that we can scrap that idea where we head to SCRTC headquarters?" he inquired, and Poe remained silent. At first, his brow furrowed in confusion, his lips forming a frown. And then, his arms folded and he turned to Kentaro, a look of suspicious interest on his face. "And why is that? If you can work with the GekiChangers, you'll likely be strong enough to take out an opponent of Meteor's caliber or slightly higher." the Kurou asked, and Kentaro sighed, shrugging.

"I've actually been there. I was a student under GekiChopper until I dropped out of their training program." he explained, and Poe hummed, his fingers reaching up to his hairless chin as he nodded. "Alright. That's understandable. Although, it'd be appreciated if you told me _why_ you quit a training program headed by a Sentai group's company, and also why you neglected to inform any of us." he noted, and Kentaro sighed.

"Both questions have similar answers," he began, leaning against the large machine and folding his arms before sighing one more time. "I dropped out because I didn't feel like doing it anymore. I was at the top of my class in terms of size and strength. Skill too. But I had nearly no Qi whatsoever, so I was unable to perform more advanced techniques or be eligible to be a part of future GekiRanger trios. I got sick of it, so I just left. I joined the Yakuza soon after, since I was in an underground fighting ring for a small while. I never said anything because you never asked." he said, and Poe hesitated, before groaning when he realized that the Yakuza was right.

The Kurou narrowed his eyes before shrugging, his ears picking up the sounds of footsteps. He turned his head slightly, hesitating before dismissing the footsteps as Ata and Stallone. They were forceful, the dull thuds coming from the forest unhidden from the ears of anyone around. Turning back to Kentaro, Poe sighed.

"Let's say our enemies keep getting stronger. What will you do to compensate?" he asked, and Kentaro shrugged. He didn't seem to have any worries, something that puzzled the Kurou a little. "I'll keep training. I'm sure Ata wouldn't mind sparring with me." he said. Poe heard a familiar chuckle from behind him, turning to see Ata and Stallone walking into the small clearing, the stony creature carrying a pair of rabbits in it's right hand. Poe saw no visible external wounds, making him briefly wonder how they were killed.

"I honestly wouldn't mind to be honest. If we'll be doing nothing but traveling for the next day or so, I'd be happy to help you improve." Ata stated, and Kentaro nodded his thanks to the large foreigner. Ata glanced to Poe and folded his arms. "I picked up my speed and traveled far enough to see a small mountain village. They were speaking to an elder, and the old woman mentioned something about 'demons'. Are there any other monsters in the area besides the Makamou we're traveling to fight?" he asked, and Poe hummed.

"I don't believe there is to be honest. It's early September right now, so I can't even say it's some form of monster that prefers to be active during the winter. In all honesty it could mean anything." he said, and Ata nodded. "Why don't you go check with your mysterious 'sources'? I'll keep watch with these three." he said, referring to the rest of the group.

Poe frowned before nodding, heading back to the Kurainer while the rest of the group remained outside. Tatsugami looked to Stallone before chuckling. "I'll help the rock cook the rabbits. I haven't had rabbit in a while." he said, hearing Ata grunt in acknowledgment before the duo walked off to start a fire, leaving Ata and Kentaro to watch over the Kurainer.

"You were serious about everything you said to Poe, weren't you?" Ata asked, and Kentaro glanced to him, nodding. "How'd you hear that?" he asked, and Ata shrugged. "I was testing the limitations of my wind manipulation. I can actually create small gusts of wind that carry information back and forth now. I used it to listen in on your conversation while returning." he claimed, and Kentaro hummed. Ata turned to him, flexing his fists and exhaling. "Are you sure about staying a normal human when our next enemies are folk monsters of all possible shapes and sizes?" he asked, and the Yakuza chuckled. "Do you want me to set your worries at ease?" he asked, slowly shifting into his standard fighting stance.

That night at the Igasaki Dojo, Hikari and Yakumo found it hard to get much sleep, their bodies sent into an energetic, insomniac state from the sheer amount of electricity that was released into their veins during their two encounters with the masked rider that went by the name 'Stronger'.

Instead, the duo sat up formulating a plan to take revenge on their foes, with their primary target being the 'Black Knight' and his affiliates. "How should we go about this?" Yakumo asked, and Hikari grit his teeth as he leaned against the small table they sat at, his body still screaming in pain. "I have no idea. First we need to completely recover and then get that information from _him._ " he said, referring to the being that continuously provoked them with an amused aura.

Yakumo sighed, scratching his hairless chin. "Do you think that it's a trap?" he asked, and Hikari shook his head. "Not this time. He wouldn't give me all sorts of info on the Black Knight if something wasn't wrong." he noted, a statement that he wholeheartedly believed. Yakumo was more skeptical, however, and made a personal mental note to be prepared for anything should they honestly be tricked by their unlikely ally.

Kentaro slid back, panting. He looked to Ata, the familiar form of the Black Knight staring him down as the duo continued to train. "If you can't at least match this form, then you won't be of much use unless our opponent's are fodder." Ata said, noticing that Kentaro seemed to be less relaxed than normal, some of his normal chops coming off as wild slashing attacks. The Yakuza advanced again, this time with both of his hands opened in knife edged palms.

He came down with his right hand, Ata remaining unmoving as the attack struck his collarbone, reverberating off of his armor and dealing no damage. However, Kentaro recoiled, his hand torn open by the force of the blow, blood dripping from the side of his hand. Ata exhaled, rolling his neck. "You're holding back." he said, an observation that made the group's wheelman hesitate. "What's that supposed to mean?" he asked, and Ata sighed, shaking his right hand slightly.

"I can sense a lot of things thanks to this gauntlet. I can tell that you're holding back, much like you did in our last fight." he said, and Kentaro frowned. "Imply that I am. What are you going to do about it?" he asked, and Ata rose a brow. "I'm going to make you show me what you seem _scared_ to use." he said, flexing his right hand twice as he switched forms from the 'Maori Knight' to the 'Tangaroa Viking', his water based form that focused on sheer physical prowess.

"I thought you said it was a few hundred miles away?" Kentaro asked, looking at the Kurainer's mileage continue to rise as they drove aimlessly days later. Poe rolled his eyes beneath his hat, sighing. "I might have missed a zero when I initially read the request." Poe said, and Ata chuckled, shaking his head in amusement.

"So how far away are we exactly?" he asked, and Poe hummed, opening his laptop and grumbling to himself. As he did, Ata looked to Stallone and Tatsugami. "You two should hang around us just incase we run into any trouble. Kentaro can watch over the Kurainer like usual." he said, affectionately slapping the wall of the machine. The Leo Zodiart hummed, narrowing his eyes slightly before nodding. "This is agreeable. However, who would protect Kentaro should one of these creatures attack our transportation?" he asked, and Ata chuckled. "He shouldn't need any help. Our last sparring session proved to have…. _Fruitful_ results. Isn't that right, Kentaro?" he asked, receiving only a chuckling grunt in response, something that made Poe narrow his eyes.

"Regardless, we're only ten to twenty minutes away, so make sure you've prepared adequately for anything that can happen." he said, and the rest of the group nodded, Ata immediately closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. "Meditation?" Poe asked, and Ata nodded, eyes remaining closed. "Yes. Keeping myself calm keeps my power in check. Might be why the old man couldn't control this thing well." he said, and Poe chuckled, hoping that Ata wasn't entirely wrong.

When the Kurainer ceased moving, Ata furrowed his brows before opening his eyes, exhaling slowly as he glanced out the nearest window, able to see small, close-knit buildings all around them. _So we're in a small town or something, huh?_ He thought to himself, watching as Poe opened the door to the machine, taking a step outside, Kentaro close behind. Ata exited the machine last, noticing an older looking building directly in front of them, the slightly faded kanji on the sign barely legible to Ata, who merely chose to follow the rest of the group inside silently, his eyes and ears peeled for any form of enemy.

Poe sighed when they entered the chilly building, which was masked as a small souvenir shop, something that tourists would enjoy. There was a selection of overly elaborate chopsticks and garbs hanging from the walls on racks and shelves, and small tables littered with porcelain knickknacks flanking them as they walked towards the counter in a single file line. Ata was able to see a small group of tourists off to the left, fawning over a display that had cheap figurines lining it's shelves.

At the counter Poe was heading towards, something Ata could see thanks to his height, was a middle aged woman with a perpetual smile on her features. Ata found it a bit odd that someone could hold a smile for so long, but then again, he often smiled in combat. Watching Poe reach the counter, he pulled a small card from his jacket, adorned with a tribal pattern in the shape of a train. The woman's small eyes, squinted from her smile and large cheeks, moved from Poe to the card and back.

"Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Poe Kitahi, and I am the… _advocate_ , of the Black Knight. I happened to come across your plea for help online and was wondering if my client could be of any service?" he inquired, the woman humming to herself before nodding, gesturing for Poe to follow her. When the rest of the group moved to follow the 'Advocate', the woman stuck up a short, chubby finger, wagging it back and forth.

"You four stay right here and watch the store while I talk to your friend here." she said, the wagging finger coming off as slightly condescending. Ata chuckled at the look of displeasure etched across Kentaro's features, the Yakuza rolling his eyes as he sighed and stood behind the counter. Stallone shrugged, walking over to an empty corner and standing still, trying to look like a piece of merchandise instead of a sentient creature. Tatsugami sighed, shaking his head and folding his arms.

"I'm going back to that hotel room on wheels. Come get me if anything happens." he said, immediately leaving the store. Ata shrugged, rolling his shoulders and mumbling to himself, finding the unusual chill in the store rather annoying. Following Tatsugami out of the shop, the Maori chose to simply stand outside, wondering if the large machine parked right in front of the shop would attract any attention. Ata noticed a few side glances and whispers over the next few minutes, but nothing important enough to prompt him into action.

After being taken into a back room by the elderly woman, Poe was sat at a table and left alone with a steaming cup of tea. Poe narrowed his eyes, noticing that the cup was filled nearly to the brim, and that there was a small leaf atop the wooden cup. He chose to ignore the drink, noticing that he didn't possess the gentleness needed to drink it without spilling it. "Wondering how to drink it, are we?" he heard, his eyes shooting up to the other side of the room to see an elderly man with wrinkled, mole covered skin and a long, snow white beard.

The man sat down slowly, exhaling as he did so, keeping his balance with a wooden cane, one Poe made sure to keep an eye on. "Now, my daughter tells me that you can help us with our Makamou problem?" he began, wasting no time on getting to the point. Poe appreciated this and nodded. "Correct. With the combined skills and abilities of my group, there should be very few Makamou that can combat us." he explained, and the elderly man nodded, hands folded over the top of his cane. "That's good to hear. However, there is more than one Makamou troubling us this time of year." he explained, releasing a raspy sigh.

Poe leaned back in his chair, exhaling and folding his arms. He figured that multiple Makamou wouldn't be too much of an issue, but the look on the elderly man's face said otherwise. "You see, the Makamou troubling our nearby forests are rather strong. There is a pack of Bakeneko that seem to be moving according to the orders and desires of a Yoroi Tsuchigumo. We have confirmed that the Douji and Hime of both Makamou are gone, but none of the Oni in the area, even in teams, can stop them." he explained, and Poe only nodded before bowing his head in thought.

 _So the parents of these monsters aren't around to reproduce anymore, but a giant, armored spider leading a group of superhuman cat people?_ _Might be a pain in the ass if they can start that cloning bullshit I've heard about._ Poe thought, rubbing the smooth plains of his chin before exhaling. "Do you have anyone that could serve as reinforcements for us? We number five, and our strongest member will likely have to deal with the Tsuchigumo." he said, and the man grumbled to himself.

Ata began to lose interest in standing around, realizing that a lot of time had begun to pass, his squinted eyes following the sun as it slowly moved across the sky. He looked to the left, noticing that there was nothing happening in the small town, surprised that people weren't up and about with the sun high in the sky. Hearing footsteps from the right, Ata turned his head and relaxed his posture, his eyes narrowing slightly as he watched a lone figure approach. When the figure noticed him, he saw visible tension in their muscles, something that made him relax even more.

"Who are you?" the figure asked, and Ata was surprised to hear the person speak fluent English, with no discernible accent from anywhere in Japan. Ata turned his body as the person stopped moving, taking a good look at the person who stood across from him. The individual was male, standing at roughly 5'9" tall, and wearing comfortable, casual clothing, Ata able to tell that the male had lean muscle across his body. However, what Ata found rather interesting was his bronze skin and black hair, which was hanging down his back in a single, thick braid.

"A visitor. Me and my friends are here to help with the monster problems." he said, gauging the male's reaction. The first look to cross the male's face was confusion, and that doe eyed look allowed Ata to understand that the man was younger than him, likely young enough to be a high school student. "You guys think you can stop those monsters?" he asked, and Ata shrugged. "I'm at least going to fight them. Once I do, I'll learn how to beat them." he said, and the boy narrowed his eyes before stepping forward, holding his hand out.

"My name is Yuma. Yuma Thunderhawk." he said, and Ata chuckled, shaking the boy's hand, the bronze man's strong grip allowing Ata to learn that he'd done a lot of training, something that interested Ata. "My name is Ata. Do you work here?" he asked, jabbing his head in the store's direction. The child nodded, and Ata hummed, his left eye twitching as he picked up movement, watching Stallone and Poe walk to the exit, an elderly man close behind. Ata watched Yuma reach behind his back and grab something, likely a weapon, at the sight of the monsters.

When Stallone exited the building, he waved lazily to Ata before walking to the Kurainer, Yuma not reacting in the slightest. However, when Poe exited the building, hat over his eyes and his usual smile across his face, Yuma pulled a pair of drumstick like weapons from behind his back, Ata humming to himself. "Three Thousand." he said, distracting Yuma as Poe blinked, shaking his head before climbing onto the Kurainer. Yuma looked to Ata, who frowned ever so slightly. "That's how many ways me and Poe could have disabled you. Or killed you." he said, Yuma's arms quivering slightly before he bowed, returning the drumsticks to their place on the back of his waist.

"My apologies," the old man began. "Yuma here is still young, and creatures like your friend with an air of confidence set him off." he explained, and Ata nodded, folding his arms. "So how did negotiations go?" Ata asked, his eyes remaining on Yuma, who seemed to shrink under his gaze. The old man chuckled. "Your friend was worried that we'd need to provide you with backup." he said, and Ata shook his head. "Unneeded. We'll take care of any number of monsters, even if it kills us." he said, the old man smiling and nodding. "That's good to hear. Good luck to you." he said, and Ata nodded, bowing his head and taking his eyes off of Yuma.

"What was with that kid?" Poe asked, and Ata shrugged. "He has issues with 'confident monsters', as the old man put it. Likely because of some traumatic event in his past." he explained, and Kentaro looked at Ata through the rear view mirror. "And what makes you think that?" he asked, and Ata shrugged again. "He's not Japanese, or if he is, it's on his mother's side. He's visibly Native American Indian, and his last name is 'Thunderhawk'. Interesting kid." he said, and Tatsugami scoffed.

"He's likely some Takeshi brat that wants to become an Oni because he thinks they're cool. I wouldn't pay him any mind." he stated, and Ata hummed, scratching his chin, able to feel the wiry hairs increase in number day by day. "You could be right, but I'd at least like to spar with him when we get back." he explained, and Poe took his turn shrugging. "That's fine. Just make sure he's not connected to one of those Sentai that have been pestering us."

As the group began traveling to coordinates given to them by the elderly leader of Takeshi, Kentaro glanced to Poe as he rounded a corner. "Did he tell you what kind of shit we're dealing with?" he asked, and Poe nodded, inhaling slowly. "We're dealing with a Yoroi Tsuchigumo, a giant, armored spider that I believe can breath fire. And beneath this armored spider are a group of Bakeneko, humanoid cat monsters with an ability to replicate." he explained and Kentaro chuckled.

"Sounds like we're fucked if they can replicate." he said, and Ata narrowed his eyes. "Not quite. If we can stop them from replicating, or defeat them before they have a chance, it shouldn't be too hard." he said, and Tatsugami chuckled. "But remember, regardless of how many cats there are, we still have the spider to deal with." he noted, something that made Ata hum. "I'll have to go back and forth with the spider for a bit. Perhaps I can overwhelm it with my Rangi Samurai form." he mused aloud, glancing to Kentaro.

"Any chance that you can use _all_ of your power in this fight?" he asked, and Kentaro hummed, shaking his head. "Replicating catmen and giant spiders are not optimal opponents for me to get used to it." he explained, and Poe blinked, realizing that he had no idea what the two were talking about. Poe's right eye twitched, that little fact agitating him slightly. Ata shrugged. "So what? A one on one fight?" he asked, and Kentaro shrugged. "I'll figure it out." he said, and Ata chuckled.

"You put the job in the hands of foreigners?" Yuma asked, slightly upset as he spoke to the elderly man that owned the shop they used as a front for their base. He nodded slowly, running his hands through his thin, snow white beard. "We can't afford to summon higher ranking Oni or Oni with evolved forms from elsewhere with the number of Oni decreasing." he explained, Yuma's teeth grinding together in frustration.

"There has to be a better option! Can't we ask other Riders for help!? Sentai!?" he asked, causing the elderly man to exhale. He cast his slightly clouded brown eyes in Yuma's direction, a look of disappointment across his features. "You'd do well to remember that you are just as foreign as they are, Child." he said, causing Yuma to hesitate, remembering the fact that even though he was born and raised on Japanese soil, he wasn't of asian descent at all, unlike every other member of Takeshi, and, as far as he knew, every other Kamen Rider. He growled aloud, frustrated.

"I'm going after them! I'm not going to let some wandering _gaijin_ make us look bad!" He shouted, immediately turning to leave, the elderly man sighing as he watched the young, impatient child depart with the speed of a diving falcon. His daughter walked up to him and began to shake her head. "He's been rather pushy since Daisuke passed away. What will we do if he gets too much to handle?" she asked, and the elderly man chuckled, flicking his beard with a huff and turning to the back of the store. "He'll have no choice but to settle down if he wishes to achieve his goals."

Upon arriving at the location Poe was told about, the group all glanced about. Tatsugami craned his neck to the left, narrowing his eyes and exhaling. "I hear a waterfall in the distance." he stated, Ata humming as he rolled his neck, beginning to stretch his muscles before looking to Poe. "So, do we split up or remain together?" he asked, and Poe hummed. "We should split up. Particularly if the Bakeneko are numerous. We'll split into two groups. We will all travel together." Poe stated, spinning his hand in a circle to signal the other three members of the group.

"So I'm by myself, huh?" he asked, and Poe nodded. "You're stronger than all of us combined and have a much stronger, and wider arsenal. If we run into the Tsuchigumo and can't beat it, we'll come running, and I'll likely be screaming in fear and praying that my death is swift and painless." he said, Ata unable to stifle a chuckle at how plainly Poe spoke of his death. A smile across his features, Ata rolled his left shoulder and chuckled. "That sounds like a plan. When do we regroup?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "Nightfall or something. As long as we're all together when the giant, armored spider jumps us the time doesn't matter." Poe explained, and Ata only nodded, a smile on his face.

The sun began it's descent on the horizon before Yuma stumbled upon the large machine the foreigners dubbed the 'Kurainer'. Yuma narrowed his eyes when he saw the machine, walking up to it and frowning. He turned back, looking to the trees behind him, trying to hear or sense any movement of any kind. _There's nothing within range of me. I'll have to keep moving._ He thought, glancing about before picking a random direction and beginning to move, jogging ahead. His feet would hit the ground hard, snapping twigs and crunching on fallen leaves, making his location apparent to anyone, or anything in the area.

This loud crunching and heavy footfall caught the attention of Ata, who was a few hundred yards to the east of the impatient child. Flexing his right hand, Ata released a dull pulse of energy, stretching his senses with a spreading, sonar like range. He picked up other signatures close to Yuma, numbering too many to be the rest of his allies. Assuming that this was the group of Bakeneko he was told about, Ata began leisurely moving in Yuma's direction. He was keen to keep his position a secret, and study not only the Bakeneko, but Yuma himself.

As Ata closed in, he continued releasing sonar like pulses of energy, able to envision the Bakeneko as they closed in on Yuma, who moved quickly and recklessly in a direction that bore no fruit, something that made Ata wonder if Yuma was skilled in tracking and hunting. _He should be with his line of work._ Ata thought, realizing that the Bakeneko were less than fifty yards from Yuma, who had stopped moving, likely to conserve stamina. _There's at least seven of those things in that one group. If they all jump him at once he's likely done for._ Ata thought, choosing to underestimate Yuma's strength purposefully, picking up his speed as he sensed the young fighter clash with the group of monsters.

For Yuma, a one on one fight was always preferable. It gave him a chance to adapt to his opponent, to gauge how much power he needed to win, or, in some rare cases, if he should retreat. He hadn't had much experience in being outnumbered, which is why he was both worried and frustrated that he was surrounded. A pair of Bakeneko were flanking him on either side, with one directly in front of him, and one directly behind him. They acted like a meat shield, keeping him in a small, wooded area with a seventh cat monster, this last one being slightly smaller than the rest. _So I'm fighting the runt, huh?_

The Bakeneko's stance was low, a cat like crouch that made Yuma assume his opponent would pounce at any second. Slowly, Yuma moved his right hand towards his waist, where he kept not only his Onsa, but also his Ongekibou as well. _I gotta see if I can take at least the runt without transforming. I need to conserve my stamina._ Yuma thought, moving his left hand to the back of his waist, slowly grabbing his Ongekibou.

As he did so, the Bakeneko began to move, slowly walking to Yuma's right, who responded by beginning to circle to his left. He kept his breathing low and regulated, keeping a calm air as he slowly shifted to his standard fighting stance. He held the club like drum sticks close to his face, an oddly closed stance that was more reminiscent of a boxer than a stick fighter or club wielder. This made Ata narrow his eyes from his spot in the forest. The experienced fighter began to close in slowly and silently, able to tell that Yuma was at more of a disadvantage than he expected.

Being impatient, Yuma decided to make the first move less than thirty seconds later. Stomping forward, he jabbed out his right club as if it were a rapier. The Bakeneko was confused by this unique attack, merely stepping back. Yuma followed up by swinging his right arm across his face as he stepped forward. He then swung both clubs at once, striking the monster cat in the left side, likely shattering at least a couple ribs and damaging it's left kidney. Ata watched as it stumbled back, slightly injured, his eyes on the other, larger Bakeneko closing in and shrinking the ring they formed.

Yuma made a mental note of this, taking the hiss of pain from his foe as a sign to continue his assault, spreading his arms out wide before swinging inward with both clubs. The Bakeneko was able to react to the pincer attack, pouncing from where it stood and slamming it's massive frame directly into Yuma. The collision caused Yuma to fall back, hitting the ground and dropping his clubs, coughing up large amounts of air in response to the hundreds of pounds laying on his chest.

Starting to panic, Yuma realized that his only chance at escape was to transform. He reached for his Onsa, but hesitated for a split second, realizing that he wouldn't have the stamina to defeat the Tsuchigumo should he defeat the horde of cats surrounding him. Being at a greater disadvantage, Yuma also noticed how they had closed in further, causing Yuma to outwardly curse. Suddenly, the largest Bakeneko hesitated, lifting his eyes from Yuma to something in front of him.

"Your stance is improper, and your attacks are too basic. And slow." Ata said, walking closer and gaining the attention of the cats, who could tell that the bigger human was a much bigger threat, as there no was scent on him of sweat or fear. "And you think you'll do any better!?" Yuma wheezed out, the small Bakeneko still on his chest, his lungs unable to fill with air. Ata nodded, sighing and rolling his wrists before simply lifting his open palms, gesturing for the Bakeneko to attack him. The largest male released a high pitched screech of a roar before the group switched their focus to the larger, stronger fighter.

Ata exhaled, rolling his shoulders slightly as he nodded. "Of course. I have far more experience than you." he said, one of the Bakeneko lunging at him from his left, arms out front, clawed hands spread wide, it's mouth agape. Ata immediately analyzed the creature, aware of it's ability to replicate. He made his primary objective fighting each of the cats to prevent that from happening by disabling them quickly. He slid his left leg back, shifting his stance to meet the creature.

Moving swiftly, Ata slapped away the clawed hand that reached him first using the back of his left hand. His right hand jabbed out, the heel of his palm crashing into the nose of the creature, Ata hearing a crack as it's form shifted in midair, crashing to the ground as another Bakeneko came from Ata's back. Ata ducked down, able to feel the wild left claw swipe through the air, his heightened senses another advantage he held, rising back up to a vertical base.

Ata shifted his fighting style, noticing that his swift, defensive approach wasn't dealing with the creatures fast enough for his liking. Stomping forward, he grabbed the Bakeneko that swiped at him in a Full Nelson hold, locking his hands tightly as he picked the creature up, swinging it in a circle to create space, zoning out the other five Bakeneko, the runt still atop Yuma's frame, locking him in place.

The Maori threw the Bakeneko to the side, it's shoulders dislocated and upper back muscles strained heavily. The next Bakeneko that reached him was slightly smaller than the first one that he threw, the experienced fighter able to notice that the alpha cat remained to the side, as if watching him and analyzing him. Shifting his focus back to the cat in front off him, Ata watched it's furry muscles move, able to see that it would swing it's right claw at him.

Reacting first, Ata swung his left leg high, his boot connecting with the side of the creature's skull, sending it crashing to the ground motionless, Ata using the momentum to spin in a half circle, throwing up both of his hands to block a third Bakeneko, catching it's wrists and exhaling. Twisting in a low inward circle, Ata heard a snap from the creature's arms, it's elbows dislocated as it released a pained shriek, Ata loosing it's arms and throwing a stiff kick into it's chest, stepping back as he realized only four of the initial seven Bakeneko were still in fighting condition.

"When facing a large group, put disabling them before killing them." Ata explained, watching as the two Bakeneko with no authority in the group circled him. "This takes up less time and energy in most cases, and disabled foes are far easier to dismiss." he said, one of the two Bakeneko pouncing from behind. "Always watch your back as well." He said, galloping forward two paces before galloping back three, throwing his left leg out stiffly, striking the airborne cat with enough force to shatter it's jaw, watching it crash at his feet and bounce, Ata shifting his stance and bringing his heel down swiftly on the creature's skull, ceasing it's movement.

Ata turned to the final Bakeneko, not counting the one likely bruising Yuma's ribs or the immobile alpha, and taunted it, gesturing for it to attack him. Ata was nearly surprised when the creature complied, making him wonder exactly why it was such a problem for the Oni of the area. Ata threw a light left jab, stunning the creature with a strike to the center of it's collarbone. Following up, Ata threw a quick right jab, then a left bodyblow. A right spinning elbow followed, and then a left back elbow. Ata grabbed the creature in a clinch, throwing a right knee, followed by a left. He released the clinch, hopping on his right foot and throwing a right punch.

The creature's jaw shattered, it's brain rattled by the constant blows to the head. Upon landing on his left foot, Ata immediately hopped again, throwing his left leg out as he flipped, striking the creature again, tearing the roof of it's mouth by sending shattered bone and teeth shooting up. It's eyes rolled into the back of it's head, and it fell back as Ata rose back to a vertical base and exhaled. "Learn anything?" he asked, waving his right hand in Yuma's direction. A strong gust of wind blew by, knocking the creature from his frame and freeing Yuma.

"Why did we agree to do this shit!?" Kentaro screamed as he ran, the group hauling ass through the forest, a shrill cry behind them as a gigantic, insectoid leg nearly skewered him. Poe leaped over a fallen tree, exhaling as he shifted the top half of his body, continuing to shoot at the creature. Stallone did the same, his left hand morphing as he launched heated projectiles in the direction of the Tsuchigumo, who didn't seem pleased when they disturbed it's nap. Tatsugami led the pack, the Leo Zodiart transformed ahead of time. He spun, stopping and inhaling before releasing a loud roar, the forest shaking as a visible soundwave crashed into the oversized spider.

Ata sensed this roar, taking a second to glance to his left, the sound indicating that everyone else was on their way, or at least conveniently heading in the same direction that he was currently in. In this brief moment of analysis, the alpha Bakeneko surged forward, slamming it's clawed right fist into Ata's jaw and knocking him off of his feet, the Maori crashing into a nearby tree. He grunted, the tree snapping in half and falling back. His eyes glanced back to the tree for a split second, allowing him to gauge how much power his foe had.

 _If he can send me through a tree that casually, there will be no way I can beat him without transforming._ He thought, rising to a vertical base and exhaling. He glanced briefly to Yuma, who stood across from the runt, a look of displeasure on his face. "You made me look like an idiot." he growled out, as if the creature could understand a word he spoke. He reached behind his back, pulling a small, folded turning fork and flipping it open. "I won't forgive you for that."

Ata watched as Yuma tapped the tuning fork against his left hand before holding it up to his forehead. The alpha cat seemed to notice this as well, taking his eyes off of Ata long enough to see Yuma's frame darken, as if covered in shadows. Ata used this as a chance to attack the alpha, lifting his right hand slightly before flexing his palm, the gem in the back of the gauntlet turning a vibrant green. " _ **Pumotu Whakaahua: Rangi Samurai**_."

The Emerald Samurai stomped forward, throwing a high straight right kick, striking the monster cat in the collarbone and knocking it back. Yuma's right arm swung outwards, the shadows cast off of his body as he exhaled, as if not used to his new form. Ata tilted his head, leaning forward slightly as he got a good look at the child's transformed state. His body was black, lean muscle barely visible across his eerily luminescent flesh, his belt holding a small taiko drum, bearing an insignia of a golden hawk, wings spread. Even the glove like flesh across his hands and forearms was an even darker shade of black, up to his near faceless head, shadow colored horns the only noticeable feature about his head in the shade.

Hours later, Kentaro let out a loud, frustrated sigh as he splashed water on his face, the group stopping by a river in the wee hours, unable to defeat the massive spider regardless of tactics. "So what the fuck do we do now!?" Kentaro asked, frustrated at how powerless they all were. Poe rubbed his chin, humming. "I haven't been able to get a hold of Ata. I was hoping that we could lure the spider to him and let him do the work." he said. Poe then grunted, rolling one of his sore shoulders.

"We managed to shake the thing for now, but it can show up at any second." Tatsugami said, and Poe nodded, his right hand traveling across his chest and stomach to gauge his injuries. "It managed to bruise one of my kidneys and crack a few ribs, but I'm in good enough condition to keep moving. We have to meet up with Ata and team up with him. The thing's size makes it too difficult for anybody but Tatsugami to combat with any success." he explained, and Kentaro nodded. "I don't have any special abilities or anything, and I doubt that I can just punch it in the face and kill it."

"Precisely." Poe responded, exhaling as he surveyed their surroundings one more time. "For now we rest. If it shows up or the sun rises, we move." he said, the other three nodding in agreement. Stallone remained silent, the Ghoul glancing around and remaining the primary lookout, his magickally powered body not requiring any form of sleep or nourishment, something that Poe took note of. _There's no way he can stay going without some form of energy. The Mana that powers him is a pain in the ass to procure, especially without a Wizard anywhere nearby._ He thought, worrying about the one that seemed to be the weak link in their group.

Stallone was the first one to notice the return of the Tsuchigumo. It was daybreak, the sun peaking over the horizon and casting fiery orange light through the forest. When this light was blocked out by a large, black form with many crimson eyes, he knew that he had to alert his teammates. He immediately roared as loud as possible, posturing himself in front of the monster as his friends rushed to their feat, stirred from their slumber. "Shit!" was the only thing Stallone heard from them before Poe whistled, the group all turning and running, Stallone noticing that the Tsuchigumo remained immobile, staring at him intently.

When Tatsugami glanced behind himself, he noticed that Stallone wasn't following them. Before he could voice his concern for the imp like creature, a gray blur sped past his vision, slamming into a nearby tree and shattering it, the large wooden form timbering in their direction, forcing them to scatter. Quickly regrouping, they all hesitated as they watched Stallone wobble to his feet, the stone across his chest chipped and his jaw cracked. "Now isn't the time to play the tough guy Stallone! We have to get out of here!" Poe shouted, the stone imp closing his fists and stepping forward.

The spider approached, a shrill cry heralding it's arrival. The stalwart stone fighter remained still, ignoring the cries and calls from his teammates, his desire to fight overriding his common sense. He panted, feeling his energy wane, his vision blurred as the crimson eyes of the Tsuchigumo peered through the edges of the forest, accented by the flaming horizon of daybreak. His foot stamped forward defiantly, a growl low in his throat as he prepared to fight the monstrous insect until one of them no longer drew breath.

Suddenly, a powerful presence surrounded him, placing a hand on his shoulder and easing his mind. He turned to his left, seeing a pair of snow white eyes, the armored figure they were attached to all too familiar. He watched the Black Knight advance without a care in the world, his consciousness beginning to fade as he saw something peculiar. The Black Knight was not alone. At his side, another black form, lean and faceless. This shadow held a similar confidence, his flesh illuminated by the horizon, his demonic appearance somehow bringing Stallone's fading mind comfort.

"Do we have any information on that patient yet? He's been here, out cold, for weeks." a nurse asked, glancing to the recovering patient in the room to her right. The doctor standing next to her shook his head, exhaling. "Not yet. As far as we're concerned, he'll be turned into the authorities after he fully recovers. Of course, we will return his possessions to him." he said, and the nurse hummed. "What did he have on him anyway? Wasn't it some weird toy?" she asked, and the man shrugged.

"Hell if I know. We left it next to his bed after we made sure it wasn't a firearm or an explosive, so I couldn't care less." he said, shrugging as he began to walk away. The nurse puffed her cheeks, pouting. _I'm tired of him not caring about his patients._ She thought, turning to her right and exhaling. When she did, she froze. The patient, a slightly taller man with dark brown hair and a slightly rounded face, was standing in front of her, leaning against the door frame and holding his weird, toy like object to his chest tightly. "Sir, you need to get back in bed, you aren't well!" she said, and he only glared at her.

His eyes were clouded, proof of his injured condition. However, the nurse froze at the sheer bloodlust in his eyes. "Where is that black knight?" he asked, and the nurse blinked. Black Knight? "You mean the weirdo that goes around like some superhero?" she asked, and he nodded as he pushed himself off of the door frame, grunting at the pain his body was still in. "I'm going to kill him." he said, a sense of sincerity in his voice. The woman was perplexed. Did she try to coerce him back to bed, or did she report his desire to commit murder?

She didn't have a chance however, as the man's hand shot out, striking her in the throat and knocking her to the ground, her brain shutting her body down in shock, her frame crumpling to the ground after the strike to her windpipe.

That night, Ata glanced to the sky, narrowing his eyes and humming. He could feel something, but he wasn't entirely sure what it was. He shrugged it off, looking forward. "Your grip is loosening. Rest for the night." he said, watching Yuma shake his head, his body covered in scrapes and bruises from the nonstop training. Ata chuckled, rolling his shoulders and smiling. The young Oni was stubborn, and loved to train. Ata saw a lot of himself in Yuma, and this amused him. He gestured for Yuma to attack him, signaling that class was back in session.

 _Good lord did this take forever. I've been working on this for like 6 months or more, iono. This fic would be hella close to finished, but my ass started working 18 hour days 5-6 days a week so ion got no time/energy to write. It sucks, and I hope I can figure something out. I love writing, especially this fic._

 _I do apologize for the wait, and I ask that you bare with me for now. I do sincerely hope that you enjoy this, and I will do my best to continue producing quality materials for you. Thank you for everything, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, One Twisted Fuck Inc._


	12. Haka 12: Parau

_Here's hoping that this doesn't take me 6 months to write lol._

"Is that kid gonna be okay?" Kentaro asked, scratching his head. The group stood outside the Kurainer the next day, Poe using super glue he bought in town to patch up a few of Stallone's cracks, much to the stony imp's displeasure. Ata shrugged, glancing to the machine. "He should be alright. He was just training a little harder than he was used to. I don't think he's ever trained while transformed before. He seems to have no experience with that other form." he explained, finding it a bit odd that he'd be so inexperienced. Poe shrugged, holding Stallone's head still.

"Well, you could always go into town and ask that old man about the kid. It's not like that will back us up much, if at all. I'm going to need more glue for this thing anyway." he said, patting Stallone on the head, ignoring the Ghoul's grunts of disapproval. Ata narrowed his eyes before nodding. "Makes sense to me. You mind watching over the Kurainer while we go into town?" he asked, and Kentaro shrugged. "Fuck if I care. The monsters are dead, so there should be nothing to worry about." he said, and Tatsugami chuckled. "Never say never. You might get attacked in the dead of night when you least expect it." he said, shaking his head as he headed into town first.

Deciding to act on his own on this chilly autumn day, Kinji stood atop a building overlooking a small electronics store, trying to gather information. _I reckon that if I watch him long enough, I'll figure something out._ He thought, wondering why this individual was troubling them so. He noticed that his target walked from the store, accompanying a customer. He watched him wave to the older woman as she left empty handed, turning and facing the place he worked at. He hesitated for a second, his head turning in Kinji's direction. A smile spread across his face as he held up his index finger, walking back inside with a wave.

As Poe, Ata and Stallone walked through the small town, the Kurou looked to his brother. "You know, you make it seem like you want to bring this kid along with us." he said, and Ata looked to Poe. "I seem to be doing a better job at gathering allies than you are. Kentaro, Stallone, Tatsugami, Shigeru, Hiro and now Yuma. Exactly _who_ have you convinced to aid us against those rainbow suited pains in our asses?" Ata asked with a snarky smirk on his face. Poe blinked before grunting, releasing a frustrated sigh.

"I see your point, but you risk bringing in someone that can backstab us. We don't know anything about Kentaro's past, or whether or not if Tatsugami is on our side completely." he said, and Ata rolled his eyes. "Both of them are people that I have fought and sparred with. Did you forget how I can gather information from fighting?" he asked, and Poe folded his arms. "I'm not going to trust some in battle sixth sense that you can't even prove exists." he said, and Ata hummed.

They reached the shop they stopped at when they first arrived, the foreigner glancing to the monster he traveled with. "I've never been wrong once for as long as we've known each other. You'd do well to remember that." he said, entering the shop and exhaling as he entered the building, which was always slightly colder than the rest of the town. He rolled his shoulders to shake the chill off, smiling at the counter when the older woman from yesterday noticed him. She waved him to the back, as if she knew what he had come for, something that Ata found the slightest bit odd.

When he reached the back room, a suspicious, claustrophobic space that he assumed would be used for torture, he noticed that the elderly man with the snow white beard was already sitting at the sole table, waiting for him. "I take it that you knew I'd show up?' he asked, and the man smiled. His head nodded slowly, his chest heaving with just as little speed as he took a deep breath. "I knew that someone would return. Be it you or Yuma." he said, and Ata chuckled as he sat across from the old man. "Tell me about that kid. Why does he seem to have a hard time using his… 'Oni' form?" Ata inquired, and the man hummed.

"Because he thinks of using it only on special occasions. Most Oni try to make their other form a constant, daily thing instead of a once in a while last resort. Yuma is different." he said, and Ata scratched his chin, his eyes narrowing. "Is this why his physical form is so well trained? Because he prefers to fight untransformed?" he asked, receiving a nod. "He wants his body to be as powerful as it can be, as he assumes that he'll need it to achieve his penultimate goal." he explained and Ata leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table. "And what would that be?" he asked.

"Avenging my teacher." Yuma said, looking to the front of the Kurainer where Kentaro sat, his body still worn out from all of the training. Kentaro whistled, folding his arms as he looked back at the young fighter. "And who killed him? Some monster or something?" he asked, and Yuma shook his head, balling his fists, his teeth grit at the pain that shot through his hands and forearms. "I don't know what he was. He reminded me of a Kamen Rider, the kind you see in old news articles from the early two thousands." he explained, and Kentaro narrowed his eyes. "Does this guy have a name or something?" he asked, and Yuma closed his eyes, sighing as he tried to remain calm.

"The only thing about Daisuke's killer that Yuma could figure out was an alias." The elderly man said, something that made Ata narrow his eyes. _I'll have to make sure I have Poe research this alias later on._ He thought, tilting his head ever so slightly. "And what would this alias be?" he asked, and the elderly man stroked his beard, his eyes traveling to the ceiling as he frowned. "This murderous Rider only referred to himself as 'Heaven's Shining Light'." He explained, and Ata blinked in both surprise and confusion. "Such an elaborate, grand name for a random guy in a suit?" he asked, and the elderly man shrugged.

"That's all Yuma said he could learn. But, regardless of what we say to him, he is completely devoted to avenging the death of his teacher. We've tried to tell him that revenge is not the answer, but to no avail." he said, and Ata leaned back, folding his arms. "From the perspective of someone like me, Yuma is doing the right thing to maintain the balance in the universe." he explained, his face blank as he said so. The elderly man smiled, as if he expected Ata to say something like that. "And why is this?" he asked. "Simple. This man did a great wrong to Yuma, and in order to balance out the _mana_ , or tip it in Yuma's favor, revenge is nearly his only option." he said, and the man nodded.

"That must suck. Do you have any leads on this guy?" Kentaro asked, and Yuma shook his head. "I've tried researching him on the internet, traveling to obscure mountain villages, and even sending out teams of Disc Animals to do recon. I might catch and defeat a killer, but never my teacher's killer." he said, and the Yakuza nodded. "I kinda feel you. My father's life got very rough out of nowhere, and it still gets to him sometimes." he said, and Yuma narrowed his eyes. He remained silent, however, choosing to cast his gaze out the window to the sun, which had already begun it's descent in the sky.

After exiting the chilly shop, Ata noticed that he hadn't received a word from Poe. He thought to return to the Kurainer immediately, but the hubbub of a small village brought back memories of his childhood. He made the decision to traverse the village, taking in the sights and scents of his surroundings as he subconsciously searched for his brother, or the stony Ghoul that he dragged around. In his search, he noticed a great deal of whispered chatter, his heightened senses allowing him to pick up mentions of a 'rock man', a clear reference to Stallone. This let Ata know that the duo was at least still in the village, something that nearly surprised Ata with how Poe was.

As night fell on the city, Nagi and Takaharu surveyed the streets from a rooftop, noticing that the town was eerily quiet. The duo were in better condition than their teammates, but still sore and wounded from their loss. As per Kasumi's suggestion, the duo were on a building that overlooked Hiro's apartment, the pink ninja making the executive decision that he needed to be watched, as 'the grandson of a superhero must have enemies'. Takaharu was completely convinced, but Nagi was a little more skeptical. "Does she think we can get something out of this guy just by protecting him from attackers that might not exist?" he wondered aloud, and his cousin shrugged. "Kasumi's a lot smarter than me, so I'm not gonna argue with her ideas." he said.

" _You are aware that you're being spied on again, right?_ " the voice spoke, and Hiro glanced out the window, his eyes lazily scanning the rooftops before he shrugged. "What else is new? Thanks to you, their convinced that I'm some form of monster or another. It's only a matter of time before they summon some kind of ally of their and come at me." he said, sitting down and scratching his scalp. " _And you're okay with that? Being struck down by some third rate ninja?_ " it asked him, and he leaned his head back, his eyes traveling to the ceiling as he narrowed them.

He grunted before shaking his head. "Of course not, but what can I do to stop them? I'm not my grandfather you know." he said, hearing a chuckle in response. Hiro stood, walking over to the window as he scanned the nighttime horizon once more, noticing two small shapes atop a building that wasn't too far out. "They know where I live now. I'm starting to get fed up with them." he said, flexing his hands, hearing dull cackling noises as he did so. " _If you'd like, I can get them off your case as long as you continue to aid me._ " The voice spoke, and Hiro raised a brow. How was he aiding this voice? By listening to it? He shrugged and grunted, disregarding the voice's words.

Hours later, Takaharu had fallen asleep on the rooftop, unable to put up with the boredom of staring at a window to watch nothing, their target avoiding the window as if he was aware of their presence. Nagi, however, remained awake, lazily watching the window to no avail. However, he saw Hiro soon approach the window, casting a glance in their general direction before smiling, holding up his right hand and extending two fingers, looking to his own hand before walking away from the window, the action confusing the yellow ninja.

The next morning, Poe watched from the Kurainer as Ata trained with Yuma, the more experienced fighter still feeling out what level his protege was at. "So what do you think about that kid?" Kentaro asked from his usual place at the wheel. Poe shrugged, narrowing his eyes. "I feel like there's something off about him. Like he's got an ulterior motive or something." he explained, and the Yakuza shrugged. "Ata seems to trust him, which is enough for me." he said, and Poe rolled his eyes. _I'm the only one that has eyes in the back of my head around here._ He thought, slightly annoyed with how relaxed and confident the rest of his friends seemed to be.

"The old man told me about you." Ata said as he caught Yuma's left ankle in his right hand, shoving his leg to the ground. He dropped his stance, throwing a straight right that Yuma jumped back to avoid. "And? Are you gonna try and get me to give up on my teacher too?" he asked, and Ata shook his head as he watched Yuma's movements. "Not in the slightest. I have no problem aiding you to be honest. This villain that you seek is rather interesting to me." he said, and Yuma hesitated. "Why would you help me? We only met a couple days ago and I was ready to attack your friend." he asked, and Ata smiled. Yuma found the look odd, watching as Ata shifted his stance and exhaled, curling his fingers like claws and dropping his posture.

"Because your growth interests me. The Oni Riders are an interesting group, and being able to train and study them is an opportunity I can't afford to pass on." he said, and Yuma chuckled, shaking his head as he shifted his own posture, pulling his Ongekibou from his waist, making Ata raise a brow. "A weapon? Is this because you know that you're at a disadvantage against me?" he asked, picking his student's brain. Yuma shook his head. "It's because these are the clubs that I'm going to use when I smash that bastard's skull in. I want to show you what I can really do with them." he said, and Ata chuckled, amused by the boy's determination.

Scrounging through the Kurainer, Poe was almost at a loss for what to do. The sun was beginning to set on the second day, and Ata and Yuma had already returned from training, Yuma's injuries less severe than anticipated. "At least you didn't beat him half to death again." Poe grumbled absentmindedly, earning a chuckle from Ata. The Kurou found what he was looking for, the dusty old journal that Galahad used to chronicle his adventures while in possession of the gauntlet, which he referred to as the Holy Grail. "I'm a very lenient teacher." Ata quipped, and Poe only rolled his eyes in silence.

Flipping the ages old book open, he began to wonder if he could find any new information. The same mad ravings inked each page, from tales of demons and monsters all the way to supposed interactions with the being he referred to as 'God', a concept that Poe didn't ever fully grasp, coming from a species and society that didn't really have a religion. However, upon studying Ata's religious beliefs, Poe began to figure out the significance of the word 'God', and Poe took these mad ravings of divine intervention as a sign that Galahad had truly lost his mind.

Ata noticed that Poe had the journal in his hands, and tilted his head slightly. "Seeing if you can decipher the old man's senile scribble?" he asked, and Poe shrugged. "I was trying to see if there was anything that could push us in the direction of the next wellspring, or at least tell us how to make more use of your powers in something besides combat." he said, and Ata hummed. He held his right hand out, Poe passing the book across to his brother, who felt his arm tingle upon contact with the book. He flipped his hand over, noticing a faint blue glow coming from the back of his hand, as if the sapphire that triggered his Tangaroa Viking form was acting on it's own.

When Ata opened the book, he noticed that the fading writing, written in plain black ink, had faded further, replaced with carefully crafted blue ink, like Ata's increasing power was unlocking further information. This made Ata chuckle as he passed the book back to Poe, who seemed rather surprised at the writing he saw across the pages. "What do you think?" he asked, and the Kurou shrugged instinctively. "I think that Galahad might be keeping all of the important information locked behind seals. Could be a protective measure." He mused, and Ata nodded. Kentaro glanced back from the front seat, curious.

"Why would he do something like that?" He asked, and Ata leaned back and folded his arms, watching Poe read the words etched across the pages carefully. "Because he knew that he wouldn't have the gauntlet forever. He wanted to assure that only someone that could properly handle the gauntlet would read his journal. That's probably why. Although, I find it a little odd myself. There's nothing stopping a villainous person from doing what we're doing right now." he said, and Tatsugami laughed, a slightly bitter sound that caught Ata's attention. "Have you forgotten that we _are_ the villains in this situation?" he asked, and Ata hummed before shrugging. He shifted his eyes back to Poe, noticing that his brows were furrowed, as if something was worrying him. "Something wrong, Parata?" he asked, and Poe shook his head, breaking himself from his trance and grunting.

"It seems to be more mad ramblings. He's speaking about some war of some sort. It says 'Lo, the champions of the False Ones did soon come for my head, few in number but almost unmatchable in strength. I thank God for my faith, for without my belief in His Holiness, I would have fallen long ago." Poe recited, and Ata narrowed his eyes. "The 'champions of the False Ones'? That sounds… odd. Any idea what he's talking about?" Ata asked, and Poe shook his head. "Not a single clue. Unless he's referring to ancient pagan warriors of sorts, I couldn't fathom what he'd be talking about." he said, and Ata nodded. "Well, we'll get moving in the morning. As for now, we should all rest."

That night, Kentaro was finding it hard to rest. Something was grating at his nerves, and he couldn't tell what it was. He was sure it wasn't pain, because he'd recovered from his fight with Meteor for the most part, only sparse aches bothering him here and there. He grumbled to himself, noticing that Poe, Tatsugami and Ata were all fast asleep, or at least they seemed to be. Kentaro sighed as he exited the large vehicle, noticing that Yuma was outside, Ongekibou in hand. He watched the young fighter throw strikes at the air, the dark color of his clubs reflecting off of the moon's light, his posture stiff and power focused. Kentaro thought this was odd, as the boy had a more lean frame.

"Ever thought about trying something a little quicker?" he asked, and Yuma looked to him, his phantom strikes ceasing as he shook his head. "I follow what I was taught by my Sensei. It would be disrespectful to him if I abandoned his teachings." he said, and Kentaro nodded. "I get ya. Even though I left SCRTC, I still use my teacher's style as honorably as I can." he said, watching Yuma's movements closely. A few of them seemed familiar, reminding Kentaro of Taiko drummers he'd see at different celebrations and festivals growing up. "Do you think that Ata has an ulterior motive?" Yuma asked, catching Kentaro off guard with his peculiar question.

"That guy? Hell no. He's as shallow as a birdbath. Shit, I'd be surprised if he knew what an ulterior motive even was." he said, making Yuma chuckle, his eyes narrowing slightly. "So what's his goal? Why gather all of us misfits and travel around the country?" he asked, and Kentaro shrugged. "That's more of Poe's thing to be honest. Ata wants to take down this Sentai, the Ninningers, and Poe knows that will have its consequences, so he's trying to not only keep himself and Ata alive, but safe and sound." he explained, and Yuma frowned.

"Is that really a good idea? Imagine if the Sentai gathered all of their numbers somehow. How would Ata and Poe face that?" he asked, and Kentaro leaned against the side of the Kurainer, folding his arms and chuckling. "I haven't known them very long, but I can tell you that Ata would run right into that sentient army of Skittles laughing and swinging." he said, and Yuma frowned. Was his new teacher really that devoted to combat? That even the most impossible, insurmountable odds are merely a joyous challenge to him? "Isn't Ata afraid of failing? Dying?" he asked, and Kentaro shrugged. "It's his culture as far as I can tell. From what I've read up on Ata and his people, he doesn't really have fears." he said, pushing himself off the Kurainer and sighing.

"Ata's people are almost norse like in the aspect that dying a glorious death is a good thing. If he brings honor to his people, it tips the invisible scales of justice and good for the better, bringing good fortune and luck to all of them. At least, that's what I got from Poe's explanation." he said, rolling his right shoulder and glancing deeper into the forest. Yuma frowned, realizing that both of them were picking up on the same thing. There was a single energy signature heading their way, and Yuma could tell from the flow of energy that whatever it was was not happy in the slightest, the young Native detecting hatred and rage, his stance shifting as he faced forward, waiting for their guest to arrive.

"I can tell you one thing though. Something that might help you in the future." Kentaro said, discarding the white buttoned shirt he was wearing, obviously preparing to join Yuma in combat if need be. "Ata is not afraid of defeat, and neither is Poe, Stallone, Tatsugami, or me myself. We welcome defeat." He said, looking to Yuma. The young Rider saw a fierce look in the Yakuza's eyes, and he knew that he wasn't lying to him. "Defeat is important. Ata lost a fight once. It was to a Kamen Rider, called Meteor. The guy beat Ata half to death and then jumped us and nearly killed all of us, Tatsugami especially. We knew we stood no chance against him, and yet, we fought on." he said, inhaling deeply.

"We were pushing our limits, seeing how long we'd last, and if we'd survive. For me, losing means that I still have work to do before I can really get comfortable. For Ata, defeat sets a new benchmark, and he'll strive to leap over that hurdle, moving onto the next obstacle in his psychotic quest to get stronger. If you want to avenge your teacher's death, you need to accept losses." he said, and Yuma narrowed his eyes. Did he really need to lose, to win? To fail in order to succeed? He grit his teeth, finding right now a bad time to think about this. "We'll talk about this after we win this fight." he said, and Kentaro laughed.

"I think you've got your work cut out for you this time. This isn't some run of the mill Makamou we're dealing with. Isn't that right, Meteor?" he asked, Yuma's body seizing up at the name of the man that defeated his teacher. And yet, when he saw the man, his body instantly relaxed. Meteor's untransformed state seemed weakened, malnourished even. Yuma knew that in prime condition, the man across the clearing from him would be slightly shorter and lighter than him, but have an advantage in experience, and most likely speed. Yuma rose to a full vertical stance, hooking his Ongekibou on the back of his gauntlet and pulling his Onsa from his pocket.

As if he knew exactly what Yuma was doing, Meteor flung his hands out wide, spinning them and allowing Yuma to see exactly how bruised the muscles on his bare arms were, the loose shirt he was wearing stained and torn. Yuma noticed that he remained silent, not making a sound as he watched Yuma flip open his tuning fork and tap it on his wrist, hearing a loud ring as he lifted the fork up to his forehead, exhaling as he felt energy surge around him, his vision growing darker as he watched Meteor flip some form of switch, a bright blue light erupting from around him as his vision went black.

Yuma inhaled, swinging his right arm, dispersing the shadows that covered his body as he exhaled, relishing in the feeling of his transformed state, which felt like a whole different body. He looked across the field to his opponent, recognizing the black and blue suit from newspapers and television shows. He bent his knees slightly, watching for any movement from his opponent. Meteor remained still, almost like a statue as Kentaro took a single step back, knowing that Yuma wanted to fight Meteor. The young Oni wanted to test himself. _It doesn't seem like a fair fight to me. Meteor looks like he hasn't properly recovered or even eaten since Ata beat him._ Kentaro thought, watching as both fighters shot forward at the same time.

Yuma noticed that Meteor cleared more distance than he did, proving his belief that Meteor was faster than him right. Both fighters threw stiff right punches, striking each other in the chest. The shock of the blow caused both of them to take a step back. Knowing that MEteor was faster, Yuma took defensive action. The Oni stepped back, avoiding a high spinning kick from his opponent. Yuma exhaled, lurching forward and throwing a right roundhouse kick. Meteor's hands shot up to the left side of his face, blocking the kick as he swung his right leg low, striking Yuma's left ankle and sweeping him off of his feet.

Yuma cursed, using his momentum to continue spinning, placing his hands on the ground to break his fall, wildly swinging his legs in Meteor's direction, his left calf finding purchase on Meteor's collarbone and knocking him back, the Oni's body crumbling to the ground as he rolled back and rose to his feet, inhaling deeply once before clenching his fists and moving forward. He watched his opponent carefully, slowly beginning to notice that Meteor's posture was off, his body still worn from previous battles. Yuma frowned, throwing a right bodyblow that found purchase, hearing raspy coughs from beneath his helmet.

For some reason, Yuma found no pleasure, or honor in beating on such a damaged being, the left cross that struck Meteor in the face devoid of feeling. It was a calculated blow, the calm strike of a confident, aloof fighter. Yuma spun, a wild haymaker of a right backfist striking Meteor in the jaw, his body crashing to the ground as Yuma exhaled, relaxing his posture, Kentaro watching Meteor closely. _Why is he so sluggish? I know he's probably still injured but this is off. Really off._ he thought, humming to himself. Both fighters watched Meteor shuffle to his feet, his chest heaving and body lacking it's normal posture.

"Why do you help that demon?" he asked, and Yuma narrowed his eyes, shaking his head. "Are you talking about Ata? He's no demon." he said, sighing as he wrung his hands. Meteor let out an audible growl. "He works with monsters! He kidnapped my girlfriend and did who knows what to her! How can you trust someone like that!?" he shouted, and Kentaro inhaled, paying closer attention than Yuma. The younger fighter shook his head. "My teacher is a good man. He fights evil and saves innocent people. You must be thinking of someone else." he said, and Meteor clenched his fists, squaring his shoulders as his posture shifted.

Kentaro noticed this. _He's mad. Looks like this isn't going to go well._ he thought, watching the two fighters silently charge each other, a pair of right fists flying forward. Their fists met, a shockwave blowing the grass back and separating them by force. Meteor moved first, throwing a stiff straight kick forward, Yuma closing his right fist and swinging down, using his forearm to block Meteor's right leg. He leaned forward and threw a left elbow. Meteor blocked the strike with his right elbow, throwing a left bodyblow that found purchase.

Meteor began to gather himself, his sped increasing as he followed up with a left elbow that struck Yuma in the jaw, causing him to stagger back. Using his backwards momentum, Yuma stepped forward and through a high left kick. Meteor blocked with his right forearm, shoving Yuma's leg to the side and throwing a right cross, followed by a left hook. Both strikes found purchase, the hooking fist knocking Yuma off his feet, his body crashing to the ground.

Yuma rolled immediately, avoiding a heavy axe kick that dug into the ground. He reached his feet quickly, throwing a left cross that Meteor blocked with his left forearm, following up with a spinning right backfist. Yuma blocked the strike with his right forearm, opening his hand and rolling his arm around Meteor's, swinging inward and forcing his opponent to face him before quickly throwing a straight left jab. Meteor stepped back, watching his opponent throw a left high kick before quickly throwing his leg back down. Meteor was able to block the axe kick with a cross block, throwing a low right kick and sweeping Yuma off of his feet. The native fighter swung his right leg wildly, his hands hitting the ground as he cartwheeled back, watching MEteor closely as he rose back to his feet and exhaled.

Yuma drew his Ongekibou and stepped to his right as he watched his opponent weave side to side, trying to throw off his focus and make him act too quickly. However, Yuma's teacher had always taught him to remain calm, and still, forcing his opponent to make the first move so he could safely respond. Kentaro watched this closely, as he knew that wielding the two drumstick like clubs was usually Yuma's last resort, as he lacked a longer ranged weapon or stronger form. He heard the door of the Kurainer creak open as the two fighters clashed, his focus fading from the battle as Poe, Ata, Tatsugami and Stallone filed out of the machine, all evaluating the scene in front of them.

"He's going to lose." Tatsugami said, and Stallone grumbled in agreement. Poe shrugged. "Soon as there's space Ata can blow him back and take his driver to stop him from causing anymore problems." he explained, but the big foreigner shook his head. "I'm not doing anything actually. If Yuma can't defeat Meteor, than Kentaro will do it in his place." he said, and the Yakuza looked to Ata, the bronze fighter only raising a brow and shaking his head. Poe looked to Ata in confusion. "Kentaro can't stop Meteor either. Are you trying to thin out our ranks on purpose? We need everyone we can get." he he said, and Ata took his turn to look to his brother in confusion "Kentaro? Lose to Meteor? Don't make me laugh this late at night Parata." he said, chuckling to himself.

Yuma slid back, his breathing beginning to grow labored as he realized that his opponent was running off of adrenaline. He struggled to think of some way to cancel out or match that adrenaline, focusing on defensive tactics until he could think of something. _I could aim for his brain stem to knock him out, but that'll be hard when he's faster than me._ He thought, ducking underneath a roundhouse kick and rising back up with a front kick, striking Meteor in the tailbone and creating more space. _I guess I've got no choice but to try and overwhelm him._ He thought, exhaling and discarding his Ongekibou and balling his fists.

" _ **Kitojutsu: Yami Ha**_ "

As the words, slow and methodical, left Yuma's lips, his form began to radiate a dark aura. Ata paid close attention to this unusual technique, which he believed would function akin to adrenaline. Yuma's hands opened, black smoke pouring from his mask as he audible exhaled, rushing forward and throwing a left bodyblow that Meteor narrowly avoided. Yuma followed up quickly, his speed easily able to match Meteor in his current state. Throwing a right cross, Meteor caught his fist, which worked to Yuma's benefit. Tugging his right hand back, he balled his left fist and threw another bodyblow. "Kitojutsu: Onizume."

Sharp, arrowheaded claws sprouted from the back of Yuma's hands, striking Meteor in the side and tearing into his suit, the unusual material it was made from protecting him from any lethal wounds. The Cosmic rider staggered back, his body paralyzed before he could fall to his back. Yuma began to slowly circle him, his breathing even and slow as he drew his Ongekibou once jabbed the flat ends of the clubs against his belt, the miniature drum attached to his belt popping off off. Yuma swung his clubs, knocking the drum through the air and into Meteor's chest, where it grew in size, the Oni rider exhaling as he walked up to his opponent. "My Yami Ha gives me the ability to manipulate shadows and the like, which is really helpful for slippery opponents, since my fighting style is stiff." He explained, pulling both of his Ongekibou back.

" _ **Ongeki Da: Funkotsu Saishin**_ "

The clubs struck the drum, MEteor calling out in pain as Yuma brough the clubs back one by one, slow, alternating strikes that went to and fro, heavy beats of a drum that shook the very ground, the black energy oozing off of his Oni form in the moonlight a frightening spectacle for Meteor to behold, his body unable to even protect itself as this pitch black form continued to strike and strike him, his armor once more cracking under the strikes. As pain reverberated throughout his body continuously, Meteor remembered the humiliation he faced at the hands of a similar warrior coated in Sapphire armor.

Yuma pulled back with both of his clubs, exhaling as he steeled his posture before coming down, both clubs striking Meteor at full bore, the enlarged drum that had attached itself to his chest shattering as he was flung back, his armor cracked and the fabric torn as he crashed into the ground, Yuma's chest heaving as he stumbled back, not used to using this much power in a fight.

"Is he out?" Poe asked, and Ata folded his arms, frowning. _Something isn't right._ He thought, flexing his hand to release a pulse of energy, a sort of supernatural sonar to sense out anything, or anyone, in the vicinity. He hesitated and walked around the Kurainer, looking into the forest and opening his hand, flexing his fist until the gem in the back of the hand turned a vibrant sapphire in color. "Long time no see, fox." he said, and the rest of the group turned to the forest, where they began to hear an androgynous laugh. "So you found out I was here, did you? It's too bad it won't matter in the end!" they heard, Ata whirling back around and gritting his teeth.

"Yuma, get out of the way!" he shouted, the exhausted Oni looking to him in confusion before a boot struck him in the jaw, sending him flying back, his transformation fading as blood erupted from his mouth, his body crashing into the ground at Kentaro's feet. "What the fuck just happened?" Poe asked, and Ata balled his fists. "The damn fox used some kind of Yokai sorcery to replenish Meteor's strength." he said, the blue masked rider looking over himself, as if surprised at how much better he felt. He exhaled, the eyes of his helmet changing color to a dark purple, a symbol of the Yokai sorcery that was powering him.

Kentaro knelt down, looking to Yuma, who was completely unconscious. "The kid did so good too." he said, frowning as he picked the young fighter up, his eyes locked on Meteor as he walked backwards, passing the child to Stallone before briefly looking to Ata and Poe. "Let me deal with him. I want you guys to get the punk into the Kurainer so we can get him healed up." he said, and Ata nodded, jabbing his chin at the stony imp, Poe frowning as he gestured to Tatsugami, the four other members of their motley crew retreating and regrouping as Kentaro faced off against the rejuvenated Rider. "Remind me after i kick your ass to skin that fox." he said, and his opponent scoffed. Kentaro smiled as he discarded his shirt, rolling his shoulders as he exhaled. "I wouldn't be so confident if I were you. I'm not the same man i used to be." he said, taking his signature fighting stance as the two locked eyes, a moment of stillness passing before both fighters surged forward


	13. Haka 13: Taurite

_Welcome back. I hope you can tell the shift in style from 10K word chapters back to more manageable, slightly faster paced chapters. I've been trying to work through these stories, and have come to realize that the larger my chapters become, the more it hinders me, and so, i will now make each chapter as long as i feel it NEEDS to be. With that said, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Thanks, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha, OTF Inc._

In the Kurainer, the group all looked to Yuma, who seemed worse for wear. "I don't get it, how was he beaten so easily?" Poe asked, and Ata frowned. "Overexertion. He used up so much energy with that big finisher that it made him all but walking glass." he explained, his palm still flexing as he continued to track Kyuuemon. "Are we chasing after that fox?" Tatsugami asked, and Ata shook his head. "I will. I need you three to stay with Yuma and watch Kentaro. Someone has to be able to drive and navigate in need of a retreat." he explained, the Kurou nodding in agreement. "Be careful Ata, we have no idea what that sneaky Yokai could be up to." he warned, and Ata chuckled, shaking his head as he departed.

Kentaro rose to his feet, inhaling as he watched his opponent, their stark difference in both physical build and fighting style not working to the Yakuza's advantage, being easily outspeed and maneuvered by a smaller, thinner opponent. He threw a wide left kick arcing inwards, his opponent able to simply hop over his leg like a jump rope. While in midair, Meteor extended both of his legs, driving them into Kentaro's chest and once again knocking him off his feet. He coughed, watching Ata disappear into the forest, likely in pursuit of Kyuuemon.

Kentaro rolled back to his feet, inhaling deeply to assess the damage done to his body in the early stretch of the fight. Damaged ribs and sore muscles ached him, but there was nothing that could stop him from competing at his full potential. He saw a left roundhouse kick coming his way, throwing a high left chop, striking his opponent's ankle and knocking him slightly off balance, the Yakuza following up with a spinning right backfist. Meteor stepped back, throwing a right cross that Kentaro used his outstretched arm to block.

Swinging his arm in the opposite direction, he hooked elbows with his opponent, able to use his superior power to spin Meteor and throw him to the ground, releasing his grip as soon as his opponent hit the ground. Kentaro lunged down with knife edged strikes, his fingers and nails tearing into the ground beneath him, Meteor able to roll away and rise to his feet. Kentaro pulled his hands from the ground as he rose back to his full height. "You aren't going to make this any easier than last time, huh?"

As Ata trailed Kyuuemon's energy signature, he began to notice the passage of time, the sun beginning to croon over the horizon, signaling that he'd been chasing the annoying pest for at least a few hours. He wondered how his allies were doing, but he didn't fear for their safety, as he knew that Poe was with them. His mind began to drift slightly as he followed the trail, his thoughts of what powers he would attain next and if it'd be enough to help him face stronger and stronger opponents. His thoughts were soon cut off however, as he closed in on his target, remaining slightly wary as he noticed a _second_ energy signature with Kyuuemon.

And for some reason, this second energy signature was more important to Ata. His hand began to throb, as if Kyuuemon's companion was important to the gauntlet, like an owner, or someone with another piece of the suit of armor it may have originated from. When he reached the clearing, which was on a cliff, he saw Kyuuemon standing stalwart, that same sly posture about himself, the man standing next to him exuding an even more confident air. "See? I told you I could draw him out." Kyuuemon said to the man, who only sighed as he faced Ata.

The large foreigner felt no emotion when facing this man, who was shorter and thinner than he was, and surprisingly, he appeared Chinese in heritage, meaning that he was also a foreign warrior. "So you're the 'missing player'?" he asked, and Ata narrowed his eyes. _Missing player?_ He thought, his eyes briefly traveling to the gauntlet before he shifted his focus to Kyuuemon. "Hey you overgrown rat, what's the big idea rejuvenating a defeated man?" he asked, his fists balling as he leaned forward ever so slightly. The fox giggled into his sleeve, Ata slowly opening his hand as he waited for an answer.

"I can at least make my job easier if I get rid of one group of pests. I figured that you'd be easier to deal with than the Igasaki, and finding someone who hated you almost as much as I do only made my job even simpler." he said, and Ata nodded, inhaling and chuckling. "I don't take well to being ignored." the Chinese warrior spoke, Ata shifting his focus to him before casting a side glance to Kyuuemon. "You can run with your tail between your legs again. It won't matter how far or fast you run. I will catch you." He said, looking back to his opponent.

Kyuuemon laughed once more, his white mask almost morphing into a sinister smile as he turned his back to Ata. "Can you catch me before i catch your little friend?" he asked, and Ata hesitated for a second before he understood the fox's threat. _Hiro._ He thought, leaping forward at the fox, his path cut off by a snow white staff, his focus shifting back to the man he now knew was his opponent. "I said that I don't take well to being ignored." he said, and Ata stepped back, realizing that he'd have to go through one man to get to the other.

It was all but a normal day for Hiro. He hadn't crossed paths with any of the ninjas that had tailed him for the past few nights, and he was able to get a good night's sleep and have uneventful days at work. For him, life was at a high, and even the weird voice he heard in his head was all but silent, it's weird ramblings about things he didn't understand having ceased. Of course, as soon as he thought about the voice, it reared its ugly head, beginning with a low growl before speaking. "That wretched fox is coming this way." it spoke, and Hiro hesitated slightly on his walk home. "You mean Kyuuemon? Why would he be coming in my direction?" he asked, and the voice scoffed. "I don't know, but if he's after you, I'm going to need to get you some help." he said, and Hiro blinked, his consciousness quickly fading as the voice took over.

The sun had begun to rise on a chilly Swedish morning when a phone began to ring, rhythmic bells and whistles playing as the object was picked up and flipped open. The phone came up to an ear, and a pair of lips spread in a smile. "Hello?"

The word was an almost mocking question, the sigh heard on the other end fully aware of the word's intentions. "I need that favor. It looks like Japan is going to be the board this time, and some outside interference is after my host." the voice spoke, and the man looked at his glorious Swedish horizon and smiled. "I'll be there as soon as i can. Do try to stay alive. I'd love for you to introduce me to the one 'player' that's been missing for hundreds of years."

"Is there some reason that you're aiding Kyuuemon of all creatures?" Ata asked, watching his opponent carefully. The man shook his head. "This should be obvious to you. I seek to be victorious over every player in this game." he said, Ata gritting his teeth at the unusual terms. "I hope you know that I have no idea what you're talking about." he said, the man narrowing his eyes slightly, as if he didn't believe him. The man opened his left hand, exhaling as a gust of wind blew past them, Ata frowning as something materialized in his hand. He rose a brow when he identified the object.

Kentaro sighed as he rose back to his feet. He noticed that time had past, as the sky began to grow brighter, his body worn and weakened. His opponent however, had yet to let up. "You know, it's a little bright out." he said, exhaling as he leaned back, avoiding a high left kick. He surged forward, throwing an overhanded chop that found purchase on Meteor's collarbone. Kentaro watched the Rider stumble forward a few steps, the force of his own blow causing him to stumble, the Yakuza catching himself before he hit the ground.

His stance was now much lower, his arms hanging limply at his side as he felt himself beginning to fade. He heard the door to the Kurainer open, his eyes traveling back to see Poe waving for him to retreat. "Let's go you fucking nimwit! There's no way you can beat him in your state!" the monster yelled, and Kentaro chuckled, his distraction allowing Meteor to plant a knee in his jaw, his head snapping back as he heard the familiar sounds of Meteor's Driver as he pulled his right hand back.

The now demented Rider let out a wild shriek, a shrill cry that belied his lack of sanity as he struck Kentaro with one of his many cosmically themed attacks, the Yakuza encased in a ball of energy that burned, ripped and tore as his flesh and clothing all while appearing like the planet Jupiter, his mind slowly going numb as the pain took over. However, this pain caused him to smile, the energy fading away as his smoking, bleeding body fell to the ground.

"Now do you understand? Your evil will never prevail." Meteor said, his eyes shifting to the Kurainer as Poe cursed, wondering if he could close the door, turn the machine on and drive off faster than Meteor could launch a single attack in their direction. "Evil? That's funny." they heard, watching as Kentaro began to stand. Slowly, his body wobbling and heaving as he rose up slowly. His body appeared larger, and more hunched over than before, his pale skin seeming to almost _melt_ away, giving way for some… _thing_ , else. "My mother's family has considered me evil since my birth." he said, his hair begging to fall out as he rose, the sounds of cracking, snapping and popping ringing out.

The sound of his shoes tearing asunder hit Meteor's ears next, his opponent's feet now dark and clawed, his shoulders broadening and his arms spreading out wide, small blade like protrusions sprouting from the sides of his forearms as he began to hear bestial breathing, watching as this creature continued to take shape, hooked claws sprouting, his flesh darkening in shade many times as he rose to a full vertical stance, Meteor able to see _antennae_ that sprouted from his forehead.

"Sakuta Ryuusei, did i ever tell you what my surname was?" Kentaro asked, Meteor actually taking a hesitant step back as Kentaro turned to him, his monstrous visage striking fear in the Rider's heart. As his blood red eyes, which appeared like ruby orbs set into a dark green skull, a small onyx colored gem on his forehead, locked onto Meteor, Poe knew exactly what Ata was talking about when he said that Kentaro was able to hold his own. "My full name is Shiin Kentaro _Kazamatsuri_. Kamen Rider Shiin."

"A belt?" Ata asked, the warrior nodding. "Surely you have one as well, Maori Rider?" he asked, and Ata inhaled. He began to put two and two together, chuckling to himself. "So you're another Rider, huh?" he asked, the man swinging the belt around his waist, hearing it click around his waist. "Unfortunately that is the role we've been given this time around." he said, Ata wondering why his words sounded like those of someone that's done this before.

"Can we make this quick? I detest chatter." the man spoke, and Ata chuckled, shrugging his shoulders. "That's fine by me. The sooner I can take out that fox, the better." he said, both warriors respectfully waiting for the other to transform. The Chinese warrior moved first, slamming his staff into the ground and extending his arms out forward, his thumbs and index fingers extended.

"Zhuanxing"

Meteor was extremely hesitant, realizing that he had no idea what such a monstrous figure would be capable of. Shiin remained still, his emerald green flesh remaining still as Meteor began to circle him, as if trying to analyze his figure. "Are you afraid?" Kentaro asked, Meteor gritting his teeth, realizing that his breathing was uneven and hurried. "Don't be ridiculous. You're a giant insect." He said, and Kentaro lifted his hands, looking them over as he exhaled.

"My transformed state is different from my father's." he began, rolling his shoulders as he exhaled. "Firstly, I can speak. He can communicate telepathically instead. Secondly, our size. While my father's transformed state, Shin Kamen Rider, is six foot six and a hundred and ninety five pounds, mine is six foot nine and two hundred and twenty five pounds." he explained, turning to Meteor, who once again stepped back.

"Lastly, my father's transformed state was obtained through genetic manipulation, and was referred to by the scientists as 'Cyborg Soldier Level Three'. My transformed state is completely natural, and I was able to use it since I was a fetus. I'll admit, I suppressed it subconsciously, but this is essentially my natural form, meaning that I feel much more comfortable in this form." he said, his hideous facade morphing into a crude smile, Meteor hearing enough of Kentaro's unimportant information and screaming as he threw a high right kick.

The armored boot struck Shiin in the temple, and yet, he remained unflinching. "Do you know why I was told by my Wild Fist teachers that I had no Qi?" he asked, his eyes shifting to the foot the was placed firmly against his skull. His legs spread, his stance dropping as his spun, using his right hand to chop Meteor's leg down, a left chop striking Meteor in the chest and knocking him back. "Because of this. Qi can not reside in such an unusual, mutated form such as mine apparently." he explained, slowly rising back up to his full height.

Meteor recovered quickly, charging Shiin with renewed vigor, his fist glowing as he threw a straight right punch that struck the mutant Rider in the chest. Shiin was knocked back, his form remaining unmoving as he slid across the ground and exhaled. "However, my Rhinoceros Fist was a blessing, given that it's a style that revolves around stiff chops and strikes." he said, his shoulders rolling as he exhaled. "I can use my claws and the spikes on my arms to their fullest with such techniques." he explained, Meteor noticing that the transformation made him more talkative, if anything else.

"Silence! I've had enough of your idle chatter!" He screamed, his stance dropping as a bright blue light began to form around his right foot, Shiin chuckling as he slapped his dark brown pectoral muscles, a smile still on his ghoulish face. Another horrifying shriek left Meteor's lips as he leapt into the air his form flying directly in Shiin's direction as he extended his right leg as much as he could, his foot striking the mutant Rider with enough force to send a shockwave ringing throughout the clearing, the Kurainer wobbling and the branches of trees nearby creaking and cracking, some even torn directly off and flung into the woods.

Despite this, Shiin laughed, raising both of his arms up and facing his palms in his own direction before slamming his spiked forearms together, the bony protrusions tearing into Meteor's calf, earning him a pained scream. "I learned this one from one of my father's friends." he said, throwing his arms up and flipping the Rider, who used his momentum to move backwards, only to find out that Shiin was in pursuit, his arms raised high above his head, Meteor swearing they were more akin to giant cleavers than arms in that one moment.

"Dai Setsudan!"

As the words rang out of Shiin's mutated mouth, he came down with both of his arms, striking Meteor full force with two huge chops, his suit and flesh torn asunder as a giant X shaped wound began to spray blood, his form crashing to the ground and bouncing, flipping and landing on his stomach as his transformation faded.

Shiin landed on the ground smoothly, rising up to his full height and letting out a loud victory cry, birds in the nearby trees flying away in fear at the sound of the triumphant grasshopper horror.

Ata hummed to himself as he watched his opponent's transformation. Wind, tangible and white in color, began to swirl around his foe, stripes appearing across the wind, a dark, charcoal color. They appeared metallic almost, something that Ata took in mind as he opened his palm, exhaling deeply as he watched specific features appear across his foe's form. Sharp, silver claws at the end of white hands. His boots appeared to have claws, and Ata found an unusual similarity to his own transformation, albeit the 'theme'.

The mask of his opponent was by far the most peculiar. The maw appeared to be akin to a snarling feline, his helmet having small ears and large, silver eyes akin to his own Maori Knight form. Ata took a few steps to the right, his opponent remaining motionless as the wind blew around the pair of them, the terrain almost quivering as the two fighters faced off. "Quite an interesting transformation you got there.' Ata said, stopping and facing his opponent.

"I am fully aware of who you are. You go by 'Maori', Ata Rauru Kitahi, correct?" he asked, and Ata smiled, chuckling, more to himself than his opponent. "I'm glad that I don't have to go into an exaggerated introduction. I take it that you feel the same?" He asked, his opponent nodding briefly. "My name is Meng Fu Mun, and my alias is Kamen Rider Baihu." he said, and Ata bowed his head in respect, exhaling as he felt his own power wash over him as he transformed, the two remaining silent and still.

The two rushed forward at the same time, their speed evenly matched. Ata could tell that his opponent held the power advantage, which was to be expected giving the form he was using. His opponent through a left jab, an attack that was obviously meant to gauge an opponent. Ata weaved to his right to avoid it. He turned, grabbing Meng's outstretched arm and rolling, falling to the ground and tossing his opponent's frame across the clearing. Meng was able to spin however, landing on his feet faster than Ata would have liked.

"Are you sure that grappling is ideal against an opponent such as myself?" Baihu asked, and Ata chuckled, the two beginning to circle each other like rabid animals. "For someone who doesn't like chatter, you sure like to talk." he quipped, his opponent sighing. "I make an effort to learn about the other 'Riders'. Perhaps one day I can understand why we were all chosen specifically." he said, Ata finding his rambling a little unusual.

"So now what do I do? Just wait for the Igasaki to jump me?" Hiro asked, the voice in his head chuckling. _Just go about your day like normal. Remember, help is on the way, so if it gets hairy, you shouldn't fret too much._ It said, as if it was trying to reassure him of his safety. Hiro chose to take the dangerous route surprisingly, walking out in the open, as if baiting his foes into attacking him, just to see if the voice that he heard in his head was telling the truth.

"He's making this too easy." Kasumi said, the entirety of both teams scattered about, watching Hiro with a wary curiosity. "Is there any way we can close in on him without suspicion?" Mio asked, and the pink ninja shrugged, unable to close in herself without alerting the boy of her presence, especially if he was stronger than they were being led to believe. However, her Toad Toad Gun began to go off, the ninjas and train fighters all looking to each other, able to tell that regardless of the situation, evil was afoot.

Ata slid back, exhaling with a smile beneath his helmet as he stepped forward and threw a right cross. His opponent stepped to Ata's right, jabbing Ata's elbow and causing his arm to go numb for a single moment, the loss of his arm forcing Ata to take a step back and flex his hand, inhaling once more. He threw a left high kick, his opponent weaving under his large leg to the left, throwing a right palm strike to Ata's knee, offsetting his balance and allowing Meng to throw a left hook, striking Ata and knocking him off his feet.

"He's here." Hiro said, able to tell that Kyuuemon was in the area. He hesitated, glancing to the tops of buildings before shaking his head, continuing at a slower pace. He looked to an alleyway, seeing the familiar blue monsters known as Jukkarage motionless, as if waiting for a command. "What do I do now?" Hiro asked, the voice exhaling. _Simply wait. Either Kyuuemon or the Igasaki will make a move. One will prompt the other into action, and you should be able to escape in the chaos._ It said, and Hiro exhaled, looking to his hands.

At this moment, he cursed his powerlessness, his weak, untrained body unable to tap into his hidden potential. The Jukkarage began to move, exiting the alley and surrounding Hiro, who remained still and somewhat calm. He looked to the top of a building, seeing Kyuuemon stand atop the building, much like he expected. "What do you want from me!?" Hiro shouted, clenching his fists as he began to hear crackling, sparks shooting from his palms. The fox demon began to laugh, looking down on Hiro. "I've decided to eliminate you to get back at that impudent friend of yours!"

"Not if we have anything to say about it!" Hiro heard, watching as the Jukkarage began to fall one by one, the brightly colored blurs that were the Ninningers racing around Hiro to eliminate Kyuuemon's forces, before forming a sentient rainbow wall between him and the fox demon. Normally, this would cause Hiro great awe and joy, but being saved by this particular sentai only brought him agitation and worry. "What do you want with this kid!?" Kinji shouted, the golden ninja gripping his weapon tighter.

"The same thing you want with him, actually." Kyuuemon said, walking casually along the ledge of the building. "Think about it," he began, leaping from the building with a casual step. "He tortures you with feigned ignorance, while all the while remaining a devoted ally of the Black Knight you got so impressively thrashed by." he said, and the voice in HIro's head snickered. _Damn spineless fox._ It cursed, the rangers looking back to him for a split second. "Infact," Kyuuemon said, his masked face seeming to twist into a wicked smile. "He knows the Black Knight's every move, all of his capabilities, and even his identity. Isn't that right?" he asked, Yamato turning his blade on Hiro.

Kyuuemon's last comment drew out Hikari, who was hidden with the rest of the ToQgers to provide backup in case of emergency. "Tell me who he is! I have to destroy that villain!" he shouted, approaching quickly and levelling the tunnel axe with Hiro's throat. THe other members of both teams seemed hesitant. Hiro made no action to flee, or to even deny Kyuuemon's accusations. Even the voice within Hiro's mind was surprised by this, the boy only calmly breathing in and out. "And what of it!?" he shouted, electricity cackling throughout his entire body. "There's nothing you can do to stop him! He's stronger than all of you combined and you all know it! What will killing me do, except prove your own weakness!" he shouted.

Kyuuemon took offense to the accusation that he was weak, charging Hiro as Yakumo and Hikari pulled back their weapons to strike, their allies unwilling to stop them from striking him down. Hiro was prepared, knowing full well that in this moment, the best thing he could do was go out in a blaze of glory, shedding his meek, fragile facade as he awaited the end.

Ata looked to the sky, inhaling slowly as he sat up, looking across to his opponent, who up to this point, had been able to outmatch both his base form, and his Samurai form, the Maori returning to his original form to try and gather more intel on his opponent's capabilities. "Tell me, what is your fighting style called?" Ata asked as he rose to his feet. "It is known as the Black Tiger Style, and I am a master of all three of my homeland's native variations." Baihu explained, Ata flexing his right hand until he saw a vibrant sapphire in the back of the gauntlet. "I believe I've heard of them. The three forms are the 'Three Star Step', 'Diamond Boxing' and the 'Night Tiger Boxing', correct?" he asked, and his opponent nodded.

Ata looked to his opponent's staff, which still stayed unmoving, slammed into the ground a small distance away from Baihu. "Tell me, where did you obtain that belt?" he asked, and Baihu inhaled. "I was chosen by divine forces to show that the greatest fighters in all of time and space are Chinese martial artists. And as of right now, the infamous Maori Rider looks to be the first stepping stone in achieving that goal." he said, and Ata chuckled, levelling his fist with his chest.

" _Pumotu Whakaahua: Tangaroa Viking"_

Baihu began to drop his stance to defend himself against whatever Ata had in store, but before he could even take his stance, a boot collided firmly with his chest, sending him flying backwards as Ata exhaled, his newest form still something he wasn't used to. Baihu stood, his fingers in curled, claw like shapes as he charged Ata, watching his opponent with a much closer eye than before.

He swung both claws in an overheaded slash, Ata moving to block the attack when Baihu's leg swiped by, taking out Ata's ankles as Baihu's hands were withdrawn before being thrust out in a dual handed palm strike. The force of the blow sent Ata flying, his body bouncing off of the ground before he spun and landed on his feet, his opponent following him with vigor. Ata threw a preemptive left jab, watching Baihu step back to avoid the strike, his opposite leg rising off the ground and flying towards Ata's temple.

Ata ducked under the kick and weaved to his right, watching Baihu's leg stop in midair and redirect in his direction. Ata blocked the boot with his knee, Baihu using this as leverage to leap off the ground, spinning and throwing a kick with his left leg that struck Ata in the temple, causing him to stumble. Baihu landed on the ground with his back to Ata, flipping backward and striking Ata in the skull with both of his feet. This strike caused Ata to hit the ground, grunting in pain as he rolled to his right and scrambled to his feet, his opponent already having chased him down.

Ata weaved to his right to avoid a strike from Baihu, who opened his outstretched palm and hooked it around Ata's helmet, allowing him to draw Ata in and throw a flurry of left punches to Ata's chest and stomach. Ata cursed, realizing that his opponent had begun to switch between the three forms of his fighting style, Ata unable to follow up or counter as he was struck in the jaw with a left elbow, Baihu releasing his grip as he dropped his posture, a low, wide stance allowing him to strike Ata's hunched over figure with a flurry of strikes in the chest.

Ata stumbled back, coughing and weezing as he began to formulate a plan to fight his highly skilled opponent. His eyes traveled throughout the clearing they stood on, Ata realizing that he couldn't take advantage of his surroundings, his opponent's form already closing in again. Suddenly, Ata threw a right hook, Baihu's own form moving to counter the attack. Then, much like Baihu did to him, Ata's left leg swung out, striking Baihu in the ribs and sending him stumbling back. Ata moved forward, his hands curled in claws as he threw a left jab.

Baihu weaved to Ata's right, the foreigner throwing a right knee that Baihu blocked with his own knee. Their colliding knees brought Ata pain, his posture not wavering as Ata hooked his outstretched left arm around Baihu's helmet, throwing a flurry of right bodyblows that brought Ata's fist pain as he realized that the white, almost fur like segments of his opponent's armor had begun to turn silver, Ata quickly releasing his grip with a right forearm to the face.

Baihu stumbled back, grabbing his staff from the ground and pointing it at Ata. The Maori smiled, able to see that he got under his opponent's skin. "You dare to mock my style with your cheap imitation!?" he shouted, and Ata chuckled. "Each of my transformations possess an unknown number of techniques and abilities I have yet to grasp. For the sake of time, let's just call that little trick 'Tokk's Taunt'." he explained, wagging his finger.

"Another trick this form has is 'Mimir's Mind', which is what allowed me to understand something about your transformation." he said, opening his hands and summoning Braco's hooked blades, whirling them in his hand one by one. "Your name comes from the Tiger of Chinese lore, which, depending on the source, is symbolized by either wind or metal. This is why your armor began to turn silver, because you have a degree of mastery over metal itself, along with wind in its many forms."

"However, because of this, I am now able to defeat you with a degree of ease." he said, the two of them beginning to close in immediately, Baihu holding his staff horizontally to block both of Ata's hooked blades. Ata released his blade's in response, watching them hook and spin around the staff, which Ata could tell was made of metal. Catching his blades' hilts in an underhanded grip, Ata stepped back and tugged back, Baihu's staff being pulled in his direction. Suddenly, the staff snapped in three, the individual sections all responding to the momentum differently.

However, Ata released his blades when he felt Baihu pull back, his arms rising above his head as the hooked blades clattered to the ground behind him. Ata used this chance to strike, throwing two hooking body blows, aimed at Baihu's kidneys. He struck, the sectioned staff falling from his foe's grip in shock. He watched Baihu stumble back, gasping for air as Ata focused his energy in his hands, stomping forward and throwing both of his palms forward.

"Zenith Palm Thrust"

Hiro's end… never came. The boy opened his eyes to a staggering, stunning sight. All of the rangers were knocked away and disarmed, and Kyuuemon was frozen in place, hesitant and fearful almost. And at Hiro's side stood a lone man. He was young, and taller than Hiro. His posture, relaxed and almost taunting, shouldn't have brought Hiro the sense of comfort it did. His eyes, a deep, emerald green, scanned the area. He pushed his hair, long, wavy and such a bright shade of blonde that it appeared white, away from his face before he chuckled, Hiro catching a flash of pearl-like teeth.

"Which one of you trolls want to go first? I don't even need to transform to deal with such low level warriors." he said, his voice carrying a lyrical, light tone that made his voice sound slightly higher than it was. The many enemies surrounding Hiro all rose, slowly closing in as one, a form of pseudo alliance between the Igasaki and Kyuuemon formed for that moment only. Hiro, however, was still awestruck at his savior, the man appearing akin to the highest order of angel, the boy getting a similar feeling as to when Ata was around him.

The bright man only chuckled, his smile remaining cheshire in nature as he pulled a small device from his pocket, whistling to himself. "You guys really don't want to do that." he said, Hiro breaking his trance to shift focus to the device the man pulled out. "A flip phone?" He said aloud, the man looking back to him and chuckling. "This isn't just any phone." he said, pressing the 9 button not once, not twice, but three times. His foes all shot forward, Hiro able to recognize the device after the man pressed the enter button and closed it.

A belt materialized on his waist, appearing in a flash, and he placed the closed phone straight down, watching it open in a downwards arrowhead as he inhaled in the fraction of a second he had. His eyes looked straight forward, their formerly bright look vanishing as his posture straightened. He spread his arms out to the side in a fashion that Hiro couldn't decipher the meaning of before smiling. He let a single word escape his lips.

" _Upplysa"_

A bright flash of light erupted from the man's figure, blinding Hiro for but a fraction of a second. He rubbed his eyes and looked ahead, awe once again overtaking him. All of the rangers, and Kyuuemon as well, were all laying beaten and defeated on the ground. And atop them stood one lone figure. A shimmering, bright figure covered in white material, thick golden stripes passing around his body in a fashion that were eerily familiar to Hiro, as if he'd seen them before. He looked to the skull, seeing a single round circle, barely split in two by the golden stripes.

The circle was a bright red color, reminding Hiro of a Kamen Rider known as Faiz, this figure akin to a holy, ethereal form of his. "You noticed it right? Ol' One Eye got lazy making up the suit." Hiro heard, watching the suit's shoulders shrugged as Hiro only nodded. "Who… who are you?" Hikari managed to choke out as he tried to rise back up, only to fall on his back, looking up at the sky.

The man only spread his arms again, light beginning to pour from his body as if he was a human lightbulb. "I am the purest fighter on Earth, the shimmering Rider of the North. I am Gunnar Vanirsson, Kamen Rider Baldr."


	14. Haka 14: Akoranga

_Jiro again, hoping that my change in writing style is welcomed, if only for the fact that there's less to read lol. I appreciate all of you guys, and thank you for reading. I do hope you enjoy reading his as much as I enjoy writing it. Thanks, Jiro 'The Ghetto Shaman' Uchiha_

Baldr looked about, seeing the colorful, defeated forms of his foes scattered across the ground like a bag of candy torn asunder by a child. "Do stay down. It would make it much easier on all of us." he said, looking to Hiro, the boy able to tell that there was a smile beneath that mask. "So you're the one I was charged with protecting? Quite amusing." he said, Hiro narrowing his eyes slightly as his awe slowly faded, realizing that he was dealing with another man in an elaborate costume. Hiro looked to the rest of the costumed fellows, noticing that they all lost their suits, looking more like a victim of a terror attack than defeated warriors.

Kyuuemon had managed to vanish, likely using some kind of Ninpo to escape in all of the chaos. "Tell me, did the fox speak the truth? Do you know the man he spoke of?" Baldr asked, his transformation fading in a flash of light as Hiro nodded. "I do. I know him very well." he said, and Gunnar chuckled. "Why don't we go somewhere with less bodies on the ground and share information?" he asked, and Hiro nodded, realizing that he had nothing to fear with Gunnar around.

However, one of the 'bodies' he referred to, rose to its feet, stalwart against the shimmering warrior, weapon tightly gripped in his palm. "Hold it. I'm not done with you." he said, and Gunnar turned to him slowly, his posture extremely relaxed. "You're Right, correct? I've heard great things about you from your land's skalds. Please, impress me." he said, his movements slow and fluid, almost like a theatric dance. The other male screamed, his body obviously pained as he charged Gunnar, both men untransformed, Right armed with the Rail Slasher.

Gunnar walked forward a few steps, creating distance between Right and Hiro intentionally. Hiro began analyzing the situation, noticing that with the length of Gunnar's lean limbs and the space they were standing in, the emerald eyed Rider had a clear advantage. However, Right reached Gunnar faster than Hiro expected, his blade above his head and coming down quickly.

It stopped before it reached Gunnar, the arrogant Rider smiling, merely reaching out and grabbing the blade, lightly pulling it from Right's grasp and casting it aside, Right frozen in place, his eyes wide and locked on Gunnar. "You don't want to hurt me, do you?" he asked softly, like a parent coddling a child during a tantrum. Right shook his head, his breathing uneven, Gunnar patting his head and ruffling his hair with a smile, the scene sending a chill down Hiro's spine. "You're gonna take your friends and go home, right?" he asked, the train ranger all too eager to nod, Gunnar turning and leaving, Hiro close behind.

Back at the Kurainer, Poe say with his arms crossed, his gaze set firmly on Kentaro. "You didn't find it important to mention this beforehand?" he asked, and Kentaro shrugged. "I couldn't do it before. Trust me when i say I tried." he said, and Poe sighed. "You expect me to believe you when you, the son of Kamen Rider _Shin_ , say that you couldn't transform?" he asked, and Kentaro nodded. "I do. I never needed to transform before, and only through Ata's goading and training did I awaken the ability. Think of it like the first time a kid turns into a werewolf, despite being born a werewolf." he said, and Poe rolled his eyes.

"And you expect me to believe that you're some grasshopper mutant version of Teen Wolf?" he said, and Kentaro only stared at him blankly. The Kuro groaned, looking back to Yuma, who was still unconscious, his body heavily damaged. "I know he gave a rough explanation of it, but what was that technique he used to overwhelm Meteor?" Poe asked, hearing the door to the Kurainer open, shifting immediately to see Ata arrive. "Good gods what happened to you?" he asked.

Ata's body was covered in wounds, bruises and obvious broken bones apparent across his midsection. However, what caught Poe's attention was that he wasn't empty handed. Ata returned with two items, a silver, metallic staff, and a belt that seemed to match. "Stray cat." he said, exhaling as he closed the door behind him and motioned to Kentaro to begin traveling as he simply tossed his souvenirs into the back room of the Kurainer. He sat at the booth next to Stallone, who merely gazed out the window silently.

"To elaborate on your previous question, what Yuma did was an advanced form of Onijutsu he called 'Yami Ha', roughly meaning Dark Blade or something. It's a power booster, it seems to trade innate durability in return for advanced power and speed, along with other special abilities, like his shadow manipulation. This turned him into a glass cannon, allowing for a single strike to defeat him, his lowered defenses coupled with the force of the strike and the shock of the blow itself likely the reason for this." he explained, and Poe folded his arms.

"What is the purpose of that kind of technique? Does he think that he's gonna beat someone special with that?" he asked, and Ata exhaled. "It's unusual to be honest. It's like an incomplete ability. It's a technique that increases his base form's natural elemental affinity, when it should be an advanced form. It's kind of like with me using my elemental ability in my Maori Knight form when i should enter one of my other forms." he said, his eyes narrowed, Poe wondering what was going through his head.

"What happened with Right?" Hiro asked, Gunnar glancing to him as he chuckled, the duo at a small sushi spot about a quarter mile from the battlefield. "Are you familiar with the Norse myths?" he asked, and Hiro shook his head. "A little." he said, and Gunnar nodded, humming as he watched the chef craft their food, glancing to Hiro. "If you aren't aware, Baldr is Odin's second son, and the god of Light, Purity, Joy and the summer sun. That last part is weird but what can you do?" he said, shrugging as he tossed a piece of sushi into his mouth.

"But, Baldr was universally loved. So universally loved and praised that everything on the earth except Mistletoe, a young, insignificant plant, swore an oath to never harm him. This is reflected in my abilities, which Ol' One Eye modeled after his favorite son. I have the ability to manipulate light, which I usually use for theatrics." he explained, and Hiro rose a brow. "You're still not answering my question."

Gunnar looked to him lazily, shrugging. "I gave you plenty of information. This conversation _is_ a two way street." he said, and Hiro sighed. "What could you possibly want to know about Ata? That he's 6'3"? Skilled in more fighting styles than I'd care to mention? That he's traveling the world to learn about other cultures? Or that he's allied to some unusual creatures?" he asked dryly, and Gunnar chuckled. "I was told that you were a meek child. You've seemed to become quite the little silver tongued dwarf." he said with a smile.

"All I need to know about the Maori is that he's alive. You see, the boys upstairs have been playing a bit of a game to see who can build the best toy, and Ullr tells me that the Maori's toy is the only one that's been absent from the game." he explained, and Hiro found his words all rather vague, as if he was explaining an inside joke to someone new. However, he did understand part of what Gunnar said. "Ullr? You're telling me that you're on speaking terms with Thor's stepson, the Norse God of Skiing?" he asked, finding out that Gunnar's nonchalance might be due to illusions of grandeur, his calm nod helping Hiro understand what kind of person he was dealing with.

Hiro shook his head, sighing as he began eating, grumbling to himself as he got lost in his thoughts, musing over Gunnar's words as the emerald eyed man watched him like a hawk, something he found ever so slightly unnerving. He soon blinked, snapping his fingers. "Baldr was universally loved and praised, which means that you can…. Make people love you?" he said, and Gunnar shrugged.

"You're partially right. My abilities stretch farther than that. I can manipulate emotion in its entirety. Making people 'love' me is child's play, and something I don't have to use my powers for, given my incredible Scandinavian visage." he said, causing Hiro to roll his eyes. "But what did you do _specifically_ to get the leader of the ToQGers to simply obey you? Did you brainwash him? Make him compliant? Scared of you?" he asked, and Gunnar sighed, rolling his neck.

"By Idun's Apple you ask a lot of questions." he said, rolling his eyes in return. "I made him infatuated with me. It's not my preference of emotional manipulation, since I'm not as sociable as Baldr himself. But I could tell nothing apart from that would keep them out of my hair." he explained, and Hiro narrowed his eyes. "Them?" he asked, and Gunnar nodded. "Of course. He'll try to avoid fighting me, which will cause problems with his allies, and lead to either his exile, or to him breaking free of my influence, which doesn't stop me from repeating the process."

Hiro nodded, thinking to himself. Could he really trust Gunnar? Was any of the information he was freely sharing truthful? He narrowed his eyes, remembering that the European Rider held an interest in Ata, if only to confirm his existence. "Imply I believe you. What reason do I have to trust you? You're more than capable of manipulating and killing me, or using me against Ata." he said, and Gunnar looked to him with disinterest. It was an odd look, but Hiro could tell that he was at least getting some form of reaction.

"Firstly, I don't lie, it's a pointless thing to do. Secondly, you are immune to my emotional manipulation because of that little voice in your head that summoned me to protect you, which would make killing you illogical. Lastly, I am unaware of how powerful the Maori is, and I'm fairly sure that I'll need him in the future anyhow." he said, Hiro finding the last part of his statement odd. Before he could question it, Gunnar exhaled, rising from his seat and stretching. "While I'm sure you'd love to sit here and interrogate me to ease your own curiosity, I believe it's time to continue moving. Those idiots should be recovered by now."

"What's our next move?" Tatsugami asked later that day, and Poe folded his arms, the vehicle aimlessly traveling long roads. "We should avoid our enemies to be honest. Unless Ata's glove tries to pull him in a certain direction, there should be no particular place we head." he said, and Kentaro glanced to the Kurou. "Speaking of Ata, is he still back there with Yuma?" he asked, looking in the rear view mirror to the vehicle's back room, the door still firmly shut. Poe shrugged. "Ata was capable of healing us, so Yuma should be a cake walk." he said.

As if on cue, the door opened, Yuma rubbing his jaw and skull as he walked over and sat next to Stallone, Ata following close behind. Kentaro looked to Yuma, who sighed. "Feel any better kid?" he asked, and Yuma nodded. "A little. My ego is still hurt though." he said, earning a chuckle from Tatsugami. Ata narrowed his eyes, as if something was bothering him. He folded his arms looking to the road. "Kentaro, head home." he said, Poe looking to him in shock and surprise.

"Are you insane!? We've just barely recovered from Meteor nearly obliterating all of us, fighting Makamou, and you fighting _something_ else, and you want to go back to where _two_ groups of colorful fuckwits are foaming at the mouth for a chance to kill us?" he asked, and Ata looked to Poe. "That town is also home to one of the original Kamen Riders, who is one of our allies. Please tell me why I wouldn't want to go back? Do you think us, strengthened and more numerous than before, too weak to fend off some teenagers in spandex?"

The next day, the Igasaki and their allies were far too demoralized to leave the dojo. "Can we really beat that guy?" Nagi asked, Yakumo grunting at the pain in his shoulders before nodding. "Of course. He simply caught us off guard. We know that he's just a glorified lightbulb. If you can snuff out his glow, taking him down will be _easy_." he said, Right looking to the ground and inhaling. "I… I don't think we should fight him. We don't know what else he can do." he said, garnering confused glances from his allies. "Is there something that you know that we don't?" Hikari asked, finding the statement rather out of character for his friend.

"He… he might be too strong for us, that's all." he said, and Hikari narrowed his eyes. "Are you _scared_ of him?" he asked, and Right blinked, shaking his head. "Of course not! I'm just worried what will happen if we fight him again." he said, Takaharu folding his arms and frowning. "I don't care what you 'think' will happen. We're gonna get that guy, sooner or later. If you're scared, you can stay behind and let your fear eat you alive." he said, turning and leaving the room before anyone could protest.

Hiro found Gunnar's presence rather unsettling at one point, the European following him home, without permission. "Is there any reason you decided to follow me home?" he asked, Gunnar choosing to shrug. "It's less work to be honest. While I can be anywhere on the planet in less than 2.5 seconds because of my speed, I prefer to be closer to my objective. Besides, aren't you glad to have company?" he asked, and Hiro groaned to himself. "Forgive me for being blunt, but some weirdo that talks about mythology in a Faiz suit is the last person in my house while I'm asleep."

Gunnar chuckled, finding Hiro amusing. "Is there any way I can make you feel more comfortable? Perhaps I can serenade you with the songs I was sung as a child, or regale you with tales of my many battles?" he suggested, Hiro inhaling deeply to keep his composure. _He's a handful, isn't he?_ Hiro heard, the voice in his head seeming to mock him. "That's an understatement." Hiro said, garnering a confused glance from his unwanted guest.

The next morning, the Kurainer was on a fast track back to the beginning, Poe seeming agitated, and annoyed. Yuma decided to be the one to engage the peeved Kurou, inhaling slowly. "Are you alright?" he asked, and Poe looked to him before sighing. "We're backtracking to a town filled with Yokai, Sentai and gods know what else. I nearly lost an arm in a fight, nearly lost my life and the life of my brother all because of his _foolish_ desire for strength." he said, Yuma tilting his head. "Does Ata have an honest reason to chase after strength?" he asked, trying to get Poe to simmer down.

The Kurou shook his head. "The fuck if I know. Ata has a habit of acting on a whim, which is odd. He's the oldest son of a high chief, he should be back home learning how to rule and building good relations with his fellow tribes, not getting involved in this wild, cartoonish malarkey." he said, and Yuma narrowed his eyes slightly. "He's never said anything, even jokingly, as to why he made the decision to travel across the world?" he asked, finding Poe's tantrum to be unneeded.

The Kurou seemed to hesitate, his posture relaxing ever so slightly. "Ata always says something about wanting to get stronger. Whether it's trying to appease Tu, prove the honor and strength of his people, or to enjoy himself. He always has some snide remark. Nothing serious." he said, and Yuma noticed that he was getting the reaction he desired. He desired to prod further, satiating his own curiosity at the same time. "Why would Ata try to appease this 'Tu'?" he asked, and Poe rolled his eyes.

"This isn't a question I can answer properly. According to Ata, he was dedicated to the Maori God of War, and the father of humankind. This God was the only one who could stave off the wrath of Tawhirimatea, the Maori God of Storms. He also captured some of his siblings, Gods whose names I forgot, and holds them entrapped as punishment, because they chose not to fight Tawhiri, as pointless as it might have been. Ata's name has two meanings, the first being 'The Shadow Belonging to Tu the Fierce Fighter.'" Poe began to explain, visibly more relaxed.

"This meaning can be interpreted as Ata being Tu's property, or a Champion of his, implying that Champions of the other Maori deities exist. The second, and probably more literal meaning is 'The Shadow _Of_ Tu the Fierce Fighter.' This can be interpreted as Ata being similar to Tu, or being his reincarnation or something. Either way, Ata was destined to be a pure fighter from birth apparently." Poe said with a shrug. Yuma tilted his head slightly at that statement, as if he found something off about it.

"Ata does more than fight. He sure knows a lot about herbs and stuff. He also knows a lot about biology, and acupuncture." he explained, and Poe rolled his eyes. "Medicine and biology and anything akin to or relating to the human body are all things Ata has learned about extensively because they all go back to one thing; keeping the body in prime condition to fight, physically and mentally. He has a very one track mind." Poe retorted, and Yuma narrowed his eyes.

"He's not as much of a brute as you might think. He's very respectful of my traditions, and has been willing to share his knowledge of Maori mysticism with me." he said, and Poe seemed to hesitate again, Kentaro glancing to the Kurou, as if surprised himself. "That's one thing I'm not shocked to hear. When he helped me transform for the first time, he performed some weird campfire ritual, something about drawing out my 'inner beast' or some wild shit." he said.

From his spot by the window, the silent Stallone pushed the window open fully, a cold gust of air spreading throughout the vehicle as Ata's figure came swinging through the window from above, Stallone quickly closing the window and grumbling to himself. "Are we talking about me again?" he asked, taking a seat next to Stallone. Yuma looked to Poe, the two acting like squabbling siblings. "Poe here thinks that you're some weird brute that only thinks about fighting." he said, and Ata shrugged.

"He's not entirely wrong. Being one of Tu's chosen, or at least that's what my father said I was, everything I do eventually goes back to combat. Even when I tried to avoid combat and take the path of a Tohunga, I ended up in weird, hard to remember battles with the spirits of the underworld. When I decided that wasn't exactly what I wanted to do with my life, I went back to fighting physically." he said, looking to Poe.

"However, I do think of things besides fighting. My friends, allies, enemies, family. You know, normal human stuff." he said, and Poe rolled his eyes. "And if you really cared about any of that stuff, we wouldn't be rolling top speed towards our doom." he said, and Yuma frowned. "Are you always such a pessimistic spoilsport?" he asked, and Poe seemed taken aback by the question. "Normally he is." Ata said, answering for his brother, the rest of the Kurainer chuckling at Poe's expense.

Later that afternoon, Hiro sighed as he left work, unsurprised to find Gunnar standing outside, as if waiting for him. "Don't you have any hobbies?" he asked, and the Norseman shrugged, following Hiro about like a shadow. "I like fishing, but I don't suppose you have a pair of fishing poles in that little den of yours." he said, and Hiro rolled his eyes. "You know, if you're going to be annoying, you could at least help out. I don't live there for free." he said, and Gunnar folded his arms as he looked to the shorter male. "And how do you suppose I do that? I can't read Japanese in any capacity, and can only speak to you thanks to this thing." he said, wagging his phone about. Hiro narrowed his eyes. "So your transformation device allows you to speak to people regardless of language barriers?" he asked, and Gunnar blinked. "It _is_ a phone."

Before Hiro could react, Gunnar stopped, his head looking upwards, his eyes narrowing as he inhaled deeply. "That's not good." he mumbled to himself. He looked to Hiro, exhaling. "Go on without me. I'll catch up later." he said, Hiro rolling his eyes, waving to Gunnar as he continued on without skipping a beat. Gunnar waited, allowing his senses to track what he picked up, noticing that the amount of pedestrians was conveniently low, the Rider exhaling as he spun around.

"Are you two still chasing after me?" he asked, his voice directed in the direction of two men. Both men appeared Caucasian, their gruff features all accented by their large, hooked noses. The shorter of the two, a younger, leaner man that Gunnar knew was the brains behind the duo, laughed. "As long as you're still alive and running around like an injured deer, we're going to keep hunting you." he said, and Gunnar groaned, obviously annoyed. "You know, I was just about to meet up with a friend of mine, and you had to go and interrupt. That's not cool."

The taller, and bulkier of the duo, his hair short, and choppy, as if cut by a weed whacker, began to chortle, his eyes cast firmly past Gunnar. "You mean that young thing you were just following around like a dog?" he asked, and Gunnar sighed, looking about. He noticed that there were few people, and that the sun was descending in the sky, letting Gunnar know that there was but a few hours before nightfall, if that. "You know, I'm not surprised that two Greeks would so lecherously refer to that kid as a 'young thing'." he said, taking a stab at their heritage while he slowly grew more comfortable.

The shorter Greek grit his teeth, lowering his posture slightly as he opened his palms, his taller companion mimicking him. Gunnar remained calm, his own palm opening ashis eyes travelled up briefly, noticing that the sky was beginning to shift, the clouds warping into gray spirals that spun around the trio, the few bystanders that noticed this immediately fleeing, leaving the street incredibly silent, the only thing that could be heard the gust of wind caused by the power of the three combatants. The Short Greek made the first move, flexing his palms silently, a belt materializing on his waist in a flash of light that consumed his whole being.

Gunnar knew that he had to move as quick as he could, having fought these two before. Using one hand, he swung his belt around his waist, his other hand already dialing the transformation command, the Norseman mumbling his transformation command under his breath, a flash of light enveloping his body as well. Flexing his hands, Gunnar darted forward, already aware that his opponent would anticipate his attack. Both fighters threw right jabs, striking each other in the chest, both fighters sliding back and hesitating.

 _So far so good. This is a carbon copy of the last fight._ He thought, right down to where his opponents were standing. The shorter Greek, a man Gunnar knew as Troy Kerykeion, was donning his own suit, it's white and golden fabric guarded only by a golden chestplate, his face shielded by a round helmet with two horns, it's round, insectoid white eyes familiar to Gunnar. The most unique thing about the suit was that the boots, basic and white with a golden anklet, had a pair of wings on either side, something Gunnar knew gave his opponent access to flight, along with speed that nearly rivaled his own.

"Don't be so sure that this will go the same as the last fight, you albino eskimo." Troy sneered, and Gunnar narrowed his eyes, before realizing that he had lost sight of Troy's older brother, Zacharias. Thankfully, Gunnar was far faster than the larger brother, able to easily weave around him and create space with a stiff kick to the tailbone. "You know, it would help if you didn't let me know I was being attacked from behind." Gunnar said, trying to remain calm despite the urge to take the offensive. His eyes traveled to Zacharias, the larger brother appearing similar to his brother, albeit red and golden, much akin to a flame, his armor slightly thicker than his brother's.

"You know, I know Ol' One Eye was lazy making this thing," he began, referring to his transformed state. "But whoever made your shit was really, really lazy." he said, the two lowering their posture slightly, offended at the jabs Gunnar took at their superiors. "You watch your mouth you friggin' lightbulb!" Zacaharis shouted, and Gunnar only chuckled. "Clever, how many weeks have you been thinking of that one?" he asked, Troy silently shooting forward. Gunnar stepped back from a right cross, preparing to counterattack.

However, Troy shifted his posture, using his nearly concealed left arm to swing something at the norseman. Gunnar leaned back hard, falling to his back and swinging his legs out in a wide arc, forcing Troy to leap back as he spiraled back to an upright position. "You got some new toys, huh?" he asked, looking at the object in Troy's hand. It was a short staff, almost like a baton, and it was adorned with spiraling snakes and wings, which Gunnar would bet money were very sharp.

"And let me guess, you have a hammer, don't you?" Gunnar asked, his question directed at Zacharias, who was already donning a large, blunt hammer that looked more suited for forgery than battle. "Called it." he said, chuckling as he rolled his neck, realizing that he'd have to change his tactics ever so slightly now that his opponents were brandishing weapons. "We're our people's elite, and were gifted with arms befitting our status. I can't say the same for you." Troy said, causing Gunnar to sigh, his posture much more relaxed than expected. "And what, you're going to smite me with the force of Zeus' Thunder or something? I heard that the last eight times we fought." he said.

Troy vanished instantly, appearing behind Gunnar and striking him in the back of the neck with his weapon, which felt surprisingly heavy for such a small object, sending the Rider stumbling forward, his chest being nearly caved in from a swing of Zacharias' hammer, Gunnar able to feel his feet leave the ground, wind at his back as he struck the ground and bounced, his eyes firmly locked on the sky, the gray spiral of clouds seeming thicker, and he also noticed it's size, the ring of clouds nearly doubling in size. Gunnar began to laugh as he sat up, the brothers looming over him like Olympian Champions.

"I'm surprised. That actually hurt." he said, rising back to his feet. "Don't act so cocky! We've got you outpowered, outsmarted, and outnumbered." Troy said, and Gunnar began to nod his head, the duo unable to see the smile on his face beneath his mask. "You might have more raw strength than me, but let me tell you something about the rest of your claims." he said, wagging a finger. "To put it simply, they're bullshit." he said, folding his arms, the gust of wind caused by their sheer power dying out all at once, the ground almost seeming to quiver.

"To outsmart me, you'd have to have a brain. For instance, look up." he said, both brothers looking up and noticing the sheer size of the cloud ring above their heads. "I've never seen one so big." Zacharias said, sound as if he was unnerved. "This is an illusion. There's no way that the three of us are making such a…" he said, trailing off as his eyes faced forward, realizing that he was right. There _was no way_ that the three of them would cause such a disturbance, especially at their current level.

He looked past Gunnar, the shimmering norseman an afterthought as his eyes locked far off, at a lone shadow that approached with an intimidating confidence. "No way. You were _stalling_?" he asked, his attention shifting to Gunnar for a brief moment. "Of course. You see, since i was stalling, I outsmarted you. And this guy? He's stronger than Zacharias in terms of brute strength. And best of all, this can be a fair and square tag team match." Gunnar said with a smug grin beneath his mask.

The shadow continued it's approach, the brothers' confidence quickly shifting into worry. "What do we do T? We've never had to split up and fight before." Zacharias said, Troy watching the form slowly grow larger with it's approach, able to make out it's large, masculine form. "We won't you dumbass. There's no way this guy is as fast as I am, so I can take advantage of that." he said, and Gunnar began to laugh. "What are you laughing at!? You think because you can stall for one of your glorified farmer buddies that you can beat us?" Troy shouted, and Gunnar tilted his head back.

"This guy isn't a Norse Rider. I'm the only one." he said, Troy shooting forward and attacking Gunnar, realizing that he was simply taunting and teasing him to stall for his ally. He swung his baton down, Gunnar whistling as he stepping to the right, placing his left boot firmly against Troy's helmet and shoving him aside like a broken doll. "Do you want to run off and tell everyone that Gunnar made a friend, or do you want to go out fighting for your cause like a man?" he asked, and Troy scoffed as he rose to his feet.

"There's no way you peasants are a match for the combined power of Kamen Rider Hermes _and_ Kamen Rider Hephaestus." he said, and Troy, outing himself as 'Hermes', heard an unfamiliar chuckle, the shadow close enough to hear him. "That confidence is promising. Of course, Baihu had that same confidence before I caved his chest in." the shadow said, his snow white eyes locking onto the pair as he stood next to Gunnar.

"No way! This guy got Baihu!? We gotta tell the boss T!" Hephaestus shouted, and Hermes shook his head. "We're taking these guys down, Brother! On our honor!" he said, and the larger Rider seemed to hesitate, gripping his hammer tightly and nodding, the two pairs of fighters standing but a few feet from each other. Gunnar turned to the large, black figure that stood next to him. "I'm Gunnar Vanirsson, but you can call me Kamen Rider Baldr." he said, holding his fist up. The shadow glanced to it and sighed, bumping fists with Gunnar.

"Nice to meet you Gunny. My name is Te-Ata-O-Tu-Kha-Nguha Nga Rauru Kitahi. You can call me Kamen Rider Maori." he said, the two taking their respective stances as they prepared to fend off the Greek menace.


	15. Haka 15: Mekemeke-A-Ruamoko

_Having fun._

Standing far back with Hiro, Poe watched the four figures size each other up, the sky and surrounding environment suffering from their colliding power. "Do you have a single fuck of a clue what's happening?" Poe asked, and Hiro shrugged. "Gunnar must have sensed them coming. Told me to keep going. Surprised I ran into you guys." he said, his dry attitude surprising Poe. "You've changed a lot in the short time we've been gone." he said, and Hiro rolled his eyes and folded his arms. He cast a glance to Poe and grunted. "When you have all of that rainbow riffraff targeting you like a Bear catching Salmon, you don't get a choice." he said, and the Kurou nodded.

"Are you going to stand here and watch? I can already tell what's going to happen." he said, and Hiro chuckled, rolling his shoulders. "Ten Thousand Yen says that something surprises you." he said, and Poe shrugged, the two shaking hands briefly before shifting their full attention back to the four warriors in front of them.

"Do you need a weapon?" Ata asked, and Gunnar hummed, looking to Hermes, sizing the Rider up and down before shaking his head, his mask's crimson eyes locked firmly on his opponent. "Not at the moment. I'll let you know if I change my mind." he said, both Rider's seeming to vanish from sight, a gust of wind blowing by. Ata hummed, realizing that he wa left fighting the larger member of the duo, Hephaestus.

The two physical forms slowly walked up to each other, simply staring each other down like two apex predators, aware that one would walk away as the one atop the food chain, and that the other wouldn't walk away at all. Ata noticed that he was shorter than his opponent, something that he wasn't the most accustomed to. "Did you really kill Baihu?" he asked, and Ata nodded, the sound of his armor dull and metallic. "I did. Struck him down without a second thought." he said, able to see the other warrior's larger form tense up. "He was a good friend of ours."

Ata smiled beneath his mask, realizing that he was in a perfect position to get into his opponent's head, and gain a psychological advantage. "So?" he said, immediately weaving to his left, avoiding a left punch from his opponent. His eyes traveled to Hephaestus' other hand, aware that he had a hammer with a rather large, blunt top. And, on cue, it was swung at his left side. Ata's right arm shot out, striking Hephaestus in the chest hard enough to make his arm quiver, which allowed Ata to wrap his left arm around his foe's right.

Ata clenched his muscles while leaping off the ground, forcing Hephaestus to drop his hammer, Ata catching him in a triangle choke, the Maori allowing his heavy form to fall back and drag his opponent to the ground. Ata inhaled, tensing his muscles and using his left arm to hyperextend his opponent's elbow, using his free hand to throw stiff punches into his foe's helmet, the Maori remaining stiff despite Hephaestus' struggles. Hephaestus struggled to his knees, using his size advantage to scramble to a partially vertical position, screaming as he lifted Ata high, shifting his torso as he slammed Ata to the ground, breaking the hold.

Ata used the momentum from being slammed as best as he could, extending his arms and flipping back to a vertical base, immediately ducking from a hammer swing. Ata realized quickly that he had the speed advantage, throwing a series of quick jabs at his foe's midsection, weaving around blows with little effort. _With how sturdy he is, I'll have to wear him down._ Ata thought, throwing a low left kick at Hephaestus' knee, staggering him enough to throw a stiff right cross, striking him in the side of the face and forcing him to stumble back. "Is that the best you can manage? The cat put up a better fight." he said, trying to goad his opponent into attacking, displeased at the quality of opponent he was left with.

As if on cue, Hephaestus shot forward, his hammer flying in Ata's direction, the Maori easily stepping back, watching his opponent stumble forward. Ata threw a left front kick, striking Hephaestus in the elbow, the shock causing him to drop his hammer. Ata spun in a clockwise circle, extending his right leg and striking Hephaestus in the back of the head with a reverse roundhouse kick, watching the big man crumple to the ground. Ata sighed, walking over to his opponent and frowning. He pulled his left leg back, throwing a kick at his foe's side.

Hephaestus caught his foot however, launching Ata through the air with more force than Ata would've liked, his leg suffering at least a torn tendon or two from the force. However, the Maori flipped to his feet in midair, using his water based abilities to sooth the pain from the wound as he landed on his feet, sliding back as he looked to his opponent, who had risen to his feet. "You killed Baihu, and you try to make a mockery of us, and all we stand for! What do you have to gain from any of this!?" he shouted, and Ata rose a brow, chuckling to himself.

"Nothing in truth. I came to this country to learn how to fight like them and with them. All of this is just amusement to me." he said, referring to his armored form. Hephaestus began to quiver, his fists clenched. "It's not right! We've been scraping the bottom of the barrel for months to at least get closer to winning! Why should an evil bastard like you be gifted with such power!?" he shouted, and Ata narrowed his eyes, chuckling. "This suit is just an augmentation. I'm able to beat you because I simply have more skill and experience than you. No matter the situation, my knowledge and ability will see me to victory, not some suit. Perhaps if you trained yourself instead of so arrogantly relying on armor gifted to you from a magic belt, you'd be victorious, and perhaps Baihu would still be alive."

Ata knew he struck a nerve with the last part, hearing his opponent scream, heat erupting from his red and golden armor, Ata watching it seem to stretch, the red becoming more vibrant, and the gold seeming to melt, almost stretching like tribal patterns across his suit, his two pronged horns splitting into four, flames lighting on the tips of his horns, his gloves forming golden claws as flames began to lick his suit like a visible aura, Ata able to feel a greater presence from his opponent.

Ata felt excitement at seeing his foe's advanced form, inhaling before deciding to make the first move, stomping forward and throwing a left cross. Hephaestus screamed, slapping Ata's hand away with his own left, a right jab catching Ata in the jaw. The Maori cursed as he slid back, able to feel the heat from that strike. He was unable to recover, Hephaestus following up by opening his left hand wide, launching a ball of fire in Ata's direction. Using his quick thinking, Ata summoned his shield, blocking the fireball and inhaling. Before Ata could follow up and summon another weapon, Hephaestus' hammer struck his shield, shattering it and breaking Ata's forearm.

Ata stumbled back, clutching his arm as he hissed in pain, summoning his sword with his left hand. He swung, his sword making contact with Hephaestus' arm. Much to Ata's displeasure, the sword began to melt, Ata releasing his grip to save his hand. Hephaestus threw a right kick, striking Ata's injured arm and chest, the heat singing his armor and forcing him to stumble back. Ata swung his broken arm to the side, shifting his body to throw a left kick. Hephaestus moved first however,jabbing his flaming horns into Ata's abdomen. Ata cursed, able to feel the heat spread throughout his body, his inability to focus stopping him from changing forms or summoning a weapon.

The Maori frowned beneath his mask, displeased by the fact that his opponent's form was surprisingly overwhelming. The Maori stomped his left foot down, a narrow pillar of stone shooting up from the ground and striking Hephaestus in the eye, cracking his mask and forcing him to stumble back. "I was hoping to enjoy myself a little more, but you seem to have forced my hand." Ata said, stepping back and taking a broad stance, similar to a Kendo stance, only his right fist was held down towards the earth, the gem in the back of the diamond now a Rutile Quartz, the gem's earthy appearance blending in with both the Ringa's black armor and Ata's own bronze skin. The Maori warrior inhaled slowly, his eyes locked firmly on his opponent.

" _ **Pumotu Whaakahua: Papa Spartan"**_

Golden light began to emit from Ata's form, obstructing Hephaestus' view as his form began to shift. His armor thinned, his legs barely covered by anything but fabric, only sparse chunks of metal going from his feet to his knees, akin to makeshift boots. His chest armor expanded, shifting from it's normal sleek, minimalistic form to a sturdy chestplate, the pectoral armor golden, the fabric covering his biceps and thighs and earthy dark brown, the gauntlet changing to a bright golden, black Rutile threads running through it, his left arm only covered in a light metal gauntlet.

His helmet shifted, becoming less of a mask and more akin to an actual helmet, his glowing eyes turning golden and narrowing, the helmet having no mouth, the center of the helmet covered in a plume of golden hair, the arrival of this form causing the sky to shift, the swirling clouds beginning to spit, rain falling from the sky as if on cue.

When the rain hit the form of Hephaestus, it evaporated, creating a Misty aura around him, Ata's new form simply absorbing the water. "An earth based form in the rain? Doesn't seem like a good thing for you." Hephaestus said, and beneath his mouthless helmet, Ata smiled, looking to the sky, as if in understanding. "Do you know why it rains at this moment?" Ata asked, Hephaestus' hesitation allowing Ata to continue.

"This form, the 'Papa Spartan', takes it's name from the Maori earth mother, Papatuanuku. When her husband, the sky father Ranginui, saw this form, he began to weep, reminded of his lost lover." Ata explained, his fantastical explanation lost on his brutish opponent, who only scoffed and shot forward.

"Puaki, Taku Hira."

As if on cue, a massive shield formed in Ata's hand, brown and stoney in appearance. Despite his momentum and impressive temperature, Hephaestus simply crashed into the shield, which was at least as tall and wide as Ata. Watching his opponent stagger, Ata exhaled.

"Puaki, Ngaku Manuka."

The massive shield vanished on command, Ata's right hand closing around a stone Taiaha, his left a round shield. "Rise and face me." Ata said, the power changing more than just his form.

Hephaestus rose to his feet, gritting his teeth beneath his helmet as he gripped his hammer tightly, choosing to be more wary than before. Ata however remained still, his form statuesque. Hephaestus closed in slowly, juggling his hammer back and forth in an attempt to throw Ata off. Reaching a range where he could strike, hammer in his right hand, Hephaestus made his move.

He moved to juggle his weapon, letting it fly free of his right hand, his left hand opening as if to catch it. However, he caught the hammer in his right hand, feinting his opponent as he swung in a backhanded arc. Ata brought his shield up, lowering his stiff stance slightly. Hephaestus took this as a good thing, opening his left palm.

Ata was fully aware what his opponent was thinking. Since he could manipulate and produce fire, he would use it at close range in an attempt to damage or defeat him. Ata watched Hephaestus open his left hand and snapped his wrist, rolling the Taiaha in his hand, using the broad, flat end to swat his hand.

When his left hand snapped back, Ata thrust his shield forward, knocking his opponent off balance and throwing his hammer from his grip. Ata moved in an odd fashion, stiff yet fluid, stomping forward. A spire of rock shot up from the ground, shattering his foe's left kneecap, his posture dropping as Ata slammed his shield in Hephaestus' mask, shattering it, his face visible.

Ata then spun, flicking his wrist to shift the Taiaha in his hand. The elaborate blade swiped from left to right, catching Hephaestus in the face and destroying his right eye. He crumpled to the ground, blood pouring from his face as his ambient heat began to melt the ground beneath him. "How?" He asked. The Maori Spartan exhaled.

"I am a warrior. Trained in the ways of Mau Rakau, I honed everything from my body, to my timing, balance, power, and even my footwork. You are not a warrior. You are a random goon given power by idiotic forces that prayed for your success. This is why you fall. You simply weren't made for battle."

Zacharias, wounded and insulted, roared in anguish. His body wracked with a sob, the blood from his right eye diluted with tears as he scrambled to his feet, flames licking at his entire body. He shook his head, Ata casting his weapons away, inhaling.

"You're wrong! I am an elite warrior, blessed by the Gods of Olympus with the means to smite all comers! This Olympian Driver gave me this power, this advanced Elysian Form, and it can take you out! Nothing can defeat the flames of Hephaestus!" He shouted, shooting forward, his flames melting the asphalt beneath his feet.

In the next instant, Hephaestus felt excruciating pain in his chest, his mind going blank as his body went as cold as the heart of a frost giant. His transformation faded as he dropped to his knees, unable to cough up blood or even breathe as looked up at the form of the Papa Spartan. In this moment, Zacharias learned that he was not an elite warrior. His last thoughts were of anguish and self pity, the sky returning to normal as he fell to the side.

Kamen Rider Hephaestus was no more.

Ata let his transformation fade, a solemn look on his face as he walked over to the dejected hammer on the ground, placing it on the ground next to Zacharias, Ata bowing before his opponent, turning to see Gunnar looking at him, a similar look on his face. The two locked eyes, and Ata said but one word. "Talk."

The Norseman nodded. "I'll explain everything after we bury them. They deserve that much." He said, and Ata nodded in silence, lost in his thoughts for the moment.

That night, the group gathered and met at Hiro's apartment, Gunnar the center of attention as the group quietly ate. "Before I go on a long tirade about what's going on, explain to me how you beat Hephaestus' Elysian Form. I could never get past that fire." Gunnar said, and Ata looked to him.

"Mekemeke-A-Ruaumoko." Ata said, and Poe looked at him in confusion. "Boxing of Ruaumoko? Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds?" He asked, and Ata rose a brow. "My Papa Spartan form is blessed by Papa herself. Ruaumoko still resides in her womb, and to reflect this, my strongest ability is 'Mekemeke-A-Ruaumoko', which gives me the ability to throw punches with the force of volcanoes erupting. The sheer heat and force of a volcanic eruption bypassed the flames and left a gaping hole in his chest. Sounds perfectly logical to me."

Gunnar blinked, shaking his head and exhaling. "I guess that means I have to start talking, huh?" He asked, receiving a nod from Ata. He exhaled, humming to himself.

"Well, to put it simply, we're toys, game pieces used by the Gods to prove whose Superior." He said, and Poe rose a non-existent brow. "Can we get the long, slightly more sensible version?" He asked, and Gunnar groaned.

Hiro spoke up next. "Please explain everything in detail. We thought we only had colorful idiots in spandex to worry about." He asked, and Gunnar took a look at his face, sighing and scratching his head.

"What's happening is that in some higher plane of existence, every God in existence is watching over us, remaining observatory. You see, at least according to my source, which is Ullr, the Norse God of Skiing, the Gods all came together one day and decided to have a contest of sorts to prove who was the best. He says they do this very often." He began, sighing.

"And they had many contests, but they wanted to have a contest that didn't involve themselves directly. So, Zeus came up with the idea that each pantheon should have champions that fight to the death until one man remains. And since normal warriors bored the Divine beings, they decided to use Kamen Riders as a basis."

"And so every pantheon did what, create a slew of Riders?" Poe asked, and Gunnar snapped his fingers. He nodded as he pointed to the Kurou and exhaled. "Precisely. The reason they chose Kamen Riders was because of their incredible variety. Shockingly enough, it was Baal that threw out the idea of Kamen Riders. Apparently he spends a lot of time in the human world interacting with them. Likes the whole bug theme."

Poe shook his head. "And how does one become a Heathen Kamen Rider?" He asked, and Gunnar sighed. "The proper term is Pantheon Rider, but that's besides the point. We're chosen by one God or another. I was chosen by Loki of all Gods. He came to me and said that I could do the least good with the power of the purest God. I was game for it, being the son of a fisherman in this day and age isn't the most fruitful thing."

"You got wrapped up in a Divine pissing contest that could kill you for _fun?_ " Poe asked, watching Gunnar nod with his jaw slack. "Do you understand how much fun I have fighting and traveling? I can move at _light speed_ , and manipulate emotions to get what I want from who I want. My life couldn't get better. Even if I die, I get to go to Valhalla and drink Mead and catcall topless Valkyrie. I'm in Norse heaven already." He said with a smile.

Ata exhaled, catching the attentions the people around him. "Explain what you know about this thing." He said, showing Gunnar his gauntlet. " That thing has been around for ages. The problem with the Pantheon Rider War was that the Maori warrior, a Knight of the Round Table named Galahad, was defeated by a demon, who hid the gauntlet away."

Ata hummed. "So in his journal, the "Champions of the False Ones' he refers to are the other Riders?" He asked, and Gunnar nodded. "Everyone was waiting for the Maori Rider to show up. It made everyone mad because we knew that the Maori only had one Rider." He said.

"And how do you know that?" Poe asked, and Gunnar shrugged. "It's been going on for a while, the numbers have thinned out. Of course, we knew the Maori only had one from the beginning, much like the Norse." He explained. Poe narrowed his eyes. "So who's left?" He asked, and he received a shrug in response.

"A couple Aztecs, some Greeks, maybe some Chinese and Shinto, hell I think there's even a few Sumerians left. Of course, I could be missing out a few recluse Riders, but they won't last long." He said, and Ata took his turn interrogating Gunnar. "And why is that?" He asked, and Gunnar sighed. "The Pantheon Riders are selfish, but above all else, cowardly." he began, a frown on his golden features.

"When they realized that others would come for their life, they banded together, either with their own pantheon or with others like them. Among these groups, one rose above the competition, eliminating entire pantheons. This group has no name, no banner, only a leader." He explained, and Poe frowned. "One man that controls the fate of countless people? Great." He said sarcastically, Ata ignoring his brother.

"This man is a Rider with more power than Hephaestus, greater speed than even mine, and power over life and death. I can't find anything on him besides his alias; Kamen Rider Osiris."

In the wee hours of the night, Hikari was awoken with a ringing of his phone. When he answered with a tired, groggy grunt, he heard an all too familiar chuckle. "Good morning sleeping beauty." He heard, shooting up and opening his mouth to speak. "The Black Knight has achieved another form to add to his arsenal. This form is earth based, called the 'Golden Gladiator'. Be wary of this form. He has volcanic abilities." He explained, and Hikari only listened.

"He's gathering one Ally too many for my taste. I managed to convince him to meet me alone tomorrow. I'll send you the coordinates. All of you go, and prepare for a war. I've sent some help your way." The voice said before the line died, confusing and surprising Hikari. A text message from an anonymous number came in, only having longitude and latitude in text. Hikari inhaled, rising to his feet.

Before he could move to wake anyone in the dojo, the door opened, and he heard footsteps approaching. _Is this his 'help'?_ Hikari thought, watching a form come into view, surprised that their supposed ally was well kempt, a young man in a suit with his hair neatly, and freshly cut. "Are you Hikari?" He asked, and the green train ranger nodded. He extended his hand out to Hikari, seeming polite. "Sakuta Ryusei, Kamen Rider Meteor at your service."


	16. Haka 16: Tarore

_Fun._

"Are you sure we should do this? What if those two teamed up?" Right asked nervously, the group on their way to the coordinates given to them. Hikari exhaled. "You could have stayed behind and watched the dojo if you wanted. You don't seem mentally prepared for this battle." He said, the red train ranger avoiding eye contact as he remained silent.

"Where to next?" Kentaro asked, the sun high in the sky. Poe shrugged, and Ata also remained silent. The Maori glanced behind him to the Viking that stood silent, his eyes on nothing in particular. "Are you coming with us?" He asked, and Gunnar blinked, snapping out of his thoughts and exhaling. "Whose gonna watch Hiro then? It's not like he's the strongest guy around." He mentioned.

A grunt was heard, the group turning to Stallone, who bumped a fist against his stone chest. "Well that's a surprise." Gunnar said, and Stallone only grunted in his direction. "I'll stick around with the brutish block. I could use a job that doesn't put holes in me for a while." Tatsugami said, his dry humor resonating with his comrades.

"Are you sure that you two can handle all of those idiots?" Poe asked, always the most wary of th group. Tatsugami nodded, rolling his likely sore shoulders. "I'm fairly sure. I've dealt with worse." he said, and Ata nodded. "If anything goes awry, please contact us. I'd hate to have to say that some teenagers in spandex took out one of my allies." he said, Tatsugami chuckling with a nod, the group almost seeming to hesitate before splitting apart.

Not far into their aimless journey, Gunnar shifted his focus to Yuma, the Oni rather interesting to him. "Tell me, where are you from? I'm surprised to see a full blooded _skraeling_ in Japan." he asked, and Yuma looked to him, his face expresionless, the two having an unusual tension between them. "I was born here, on an American military base. My father was in the military, but my family perished in an Earthquake." he said, and Gunnar nodded, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"And you were taken in by Takeshi, and trained to be an Oni? That's quite the twist of fate." he said, and Yuma folded his arms, his own lips turning downward. "What does my life concern you? You're in this for your own personal enjoyment. Some of us have ambitions and goals. Try to not get in my way, lest I make you a footnote in Oni history." he said, Ata listening closely, amused by the banter between the duo. Gunnar smiled, as if greatly entertained.

"And what goals do you have? Perhaps you seek to elevate Oni to a new level of power and respect? To show that us foreigners can be just as good for humanity as any other Kamen Rider? Or is your goal more self centered, like a lust for power, or revenge?" he asked, and Yuma rose to his feet, Kentaro glancing in the rear view mirror quickly before surveying thir surroundings. "I know how this is gonna end." he said, whistling to himself as he pulled off to the side.

"Must you resort to violence? Honestly, I thought your people were supposed to be a passive, spiritual bunch." Gunnar said, standing across from Yuma. "It's a good thing that Japan has a lot of conveniently empty large spaces for guys with superpowered suits to fight it out." Kentaro said, Poe rolling his eyes and grunting. Yuma rolled his shoulders, his eyes locked on Gunnar, who began to relax his posture. "I simply refuse to stand for your childish attitude. We're all determined, mature individuals. There is no place for someone such as yourself amongst our group."

Gunnar sighed, humming to himself. "Are you sure about that?" he asked, and Yuma remained looking forward, stalwart and unphased. Gunnar had moved behind him almost instantly, his vastly superior speed not giving him it's normal mental advantage. "We are warriors with purpose. Fighters that have ambitions, and a reason to grow stronger. You were gifted with exceptional abilities by the divine and have allowed it to corrupt you. If a man worthy of my respect was the one standing behind me, I would have reacted to your actions." he said, the rest of the group watching intently.

"Who's going to win this one?" Poe asked, watching Gunnar carefully create space between himself and Yuma, the native turning to face his opponent. "This isn't a fight. It's a greeting." He said, his brother turning to face him, a look of confusion across his face. "A greeting? The two of them look ready to kill each other." he said, and the Maori Rider nodded. "The two of them are completely different people from different cultures. The only thing they have in common is the fact that both of them are warriors. They will test each other, analyze each other, and in the end, you'll see just what I do." he said, and Poe looked to the duo, neither one mobile, as if waiting for the other to make the first move.

As if responding to Poe's thought, Gunnar sprung into action, the two beginning their fight untransformed. The Norseman, who was slightly taller, yet leaner, swung his right leg up high, aiming for Yuma's temple. Yuma leaned back, tensing the muscles in his left leg as he allowed himself to fall back, jabbing out his right leg. Gunnar redirecting his leg straight down by twisting his body. Using his tensed leg as an anchor, Yuma allowed Gunnar to strike his shin, the force and pain shooting him back upright, allowing him to catch Gunnar from behind in a sleeper hold.

Poe narrowed his eyes, wondering what it was that Ata saw. From his perspective, Yuma was outsmarting Gunnar with relative ease, able to hold the sleeper despite back elbows into his midsection that aimed for his vitals. Gunnar extended both of his arms out, jabbing both of his elbows back at the same time, Gunnar releasing the Sleeper and catching Gunnar in a Chicken Wing hold. The Norseman seemed to expect this, immediately hopping off his feet and kicking Yuma's legs out from under him, seing the duo flipping in place.

Using the force of the flip, Gunnnar slammed his weight onto Yuma, breaking the hold and bouncing himself back to a stading position. He spun to confront Yuma, a right fist striking him in the jaw and sending him back a few steps. "You aren't half bad, _skraeling._ " Gunnar said, Yuma remaining both silent and unmoving. Both of them moved in sync, reaching for their transformation devices. The duo locked eyes, the fight moving into it's second act.

As the einharjar like Rider, shimmering and ethereal, clashed fists with the black demon Rider, Ata looked to Poe. "Do you see it Parata?" he asked, and Poe frowned. What was it that his brother wanted him to see? Was it a feeling of excitement that stemmed from watching the two warriors begin to slam each other with hard strikes? Was it perhaps the intellectual superiority that Gunnar held due to his experience and superior ability? "This fight is already over, isn't it?" Poe asked, and Ata looked to him for a brief moment, his attention shifting back to the specatacle before them. Poe grunted, realizing that he hadn't discovered what his brother spoke of.

Yuma was surprisingly calm, his attacks calculated despite their futility, the Oni fully aware that his opponent could overwhelm him at any moment, the Oni's training not giving him a single idea of how to combat an ememy that moved at the speed of light. It didn't matter to him, however, and as he recoiled from a boot to the chest, his mind began to relax, his body moving like fluid, his hand bouncing him back to his feet, his mind slowly shutting down as he simply _felt_ his opponent, weaving around strikes like the shadows cast by the sun overhead.

Gunnar realized that moments like _this_ were why he accepted the offer from Loki. It wasn't to escape a normal life, it was to feel that same rush of adrenaline he would get when he encountered a wild predator in the knee deep winter snow, the ground itself an enemy of his survival as he had to flail aimlessly against the grip of a wolf's jaw. This innate feeling of power, of control, and most importantly, confidence, allowed him to fight seemlessly, each of his strikes followed with another calculated strike, his ability to end the fight in an instant forgotten in his own enjoyment.

Poe watched the fight intently, noticing that neither fighter was reacting to being struck, the duo moving nonstop like their lives depended on it, the Kurou struggling to understand what his brother meant. And when he watched the duo seemlessly parry each others strikes, as if a rehearsed sequences instead of a heat of the moment reaction, he began to understand. The duo were moving like fluid, as if they were a single mind, Poe turning to Ata confused. "You could tell before watching them fight?" he asked, and Ata nodded. "They reminded me of us, that's why I refused to step in." he said, and Kentaro blinked, looking to the duo.

"What am I missing out on?" he asked, and Ata unfolded his arms. "Yuma and Gunnar are a perfect team. If you've been paying attention, their actions, regardless of their innate abilities, flow with each other. It's as if each of their strikes invites the other to continue a well rehearsed sequence, despite only meeting no more than a couple days ago. Something tells me that Gunnar could tell, and that's why he antagonized Yuma." he explained, and Kentaro blinked. "You got all of this from watching two guys try to beat the shit out of each other?" he asked, and Ata nodded, refolding his arms. "When you fight as much as I do, nothing slips past you."

Yuma slid back, the young Oni slightly worn, his body not used to remaining transformed for extended periods of time, a problem he sought to remedy quickly. He looked across to Gunnar, the shimmering Rider's mask seeming to peer into his soul, as if mocking him. "Tell me, are you truly tired after this short sparring match?" he asked, Yuma remaining silent as he pondered his options, his foe's speed nagging at the back of his mind. "You know, I could make it worth your while if you can at least hit me." he said, Yuma broken out of his combat focused trance momentarily.

"I believe I have information you'd love to have on one of the Pantheon Riders." he said, and Yuma frowned beneath his mask. "Why would I care about your little game?" he asked, rolling his fingers, his fists sore. "Because one of Osiris' generals is a Rider that calls himself 'Heaven's Shining Light'." he said, and Ata frowned, his arms coming unfolded as he began to feel an incredible pressure rise up from Yuma. "You'll talk now before I beat it out of you." he said, his body beginning to emit a sickly black energy, as if thick slime was being projected from his body, the area beginning to cool as the few specs of color on Yuma's being began to change color.

"This is what I've been waiting for." Ata said, Poe frowning as he looked to his brother. "What do you mean?" he asked, and Ata watched carefully as Yuma's body racked, almost like he was sobbing, the pearlescent hues across his body vanishing, making way for a demonic form that was blacker than pitch. "His 'Yami Ha' was a technique that upgraded his form, but like I said, it was incomplete. This is 'Yami Ha's' complete form, 'Kuroki Kyo'." he explained, watching Gunnar disappear, his incredible speed far faster than their eyes could follow. He remained gone, Ata able to sense his energy all around him, letting the Maori know that he was simply toying with the evolved Yuma.

However, the fight ended within a split second, as Yuma spun around, his left leg casting a trail of darkness as it moved, striking Gunnar in the arm, the Norseman hesitating before he rolled back, Yuma's leg hitting the ground as his transformation began to fade. He could tell that Yuma was fairly exhausted, his body wobbling before his eyes soon closed, the man known as Kamen Rider Baldr casting away his own transformation as he caught the worn out Oni, looking to Ata.

"How did he hit me?" Gunnar asked, glancing back to the concealed back room of the Kurainer, agitated that despite his insane speed advantage, he was still struck by his opponent. "Yuma craves vengeance and you might have a lead. It's understandable that he'd try to do the impossible." Poe said, the Norseman blowing him off and looking to Ata. "Because you two compliment each other. Where there is light, there is also darkness. It doesn't matter how fast you are, because as long as you emit light, or light itself exists, a form like Kuroki Kyo will be able to exist, and be right there." he said, and Gunnar rose a brow.

"Are you saying that he's as fast as me while i emit light, or that he's omnipresent now?" he asked, and Ata groaned. "Hypothetically? Both. At the moment he only has the ability in a fight or flight situation to at least react to you. Who knows what he could do with more training." Ata said with a shrug, Gunnar sighing. "And you think we're what, some kind of team now?" he asked, and Ata nodded. "You know just as well as I do that you were testing him. My brothers might not be able to, but I can see through all of your antics." he said, and Gunnar sighed, simply glancing back to Yuma before folding his arms and closing his eyes.

"Do you realize how annoying that is? I take pride in my ability to mislead people." Gunnar said, and Ata chuckled. "Tell me about this Pantheon Rider while he's still unconscious." Gunnar looked to Yuma, sighing before rolling his shoulders. "He's one of the less stable Riders left. To be honest, I'm fairly sure that Yuma can't beat him, even with that new form of his. You on the other hand might be able to do it. Your ability to switch forms on command and innate combat ability might be enough." Gunnar said, wheels turning in his head as he rambled more to himself.

Shaking his head, he sighed. "I've met him a few times. He's this annoying ass bastard with an ego big enough to see from a mile away. His name's Tsukuyomi Shinto. He's built kind of like me or Yuma. His alias comes from his transformation, Kamen Rider Amaterasu. Kind of looks like one of the Old Boys, Agito, in his Shining Form." he explained, and Poe narrowed his eyes. "Old Boys?" Poe asked, and Gunnar rolled his eyes and nodded. "It's what some of us call the superheroes we're based off of. When Baal came up with the idea to use Kamen Riders as a base for The Game, the guys upstairs decided to just add their own flair to pre-existing Kamen Riders. Kind of lazy if you ask me. We're _supposed_ to be new toys, not limited edition runs of old shit." he said, and Ata hummed.

"You said that Osiris has multiple generals. Do you know any other than Amaterasu?" he asked, trying to gain as much information about this new foe as he could. Gunnar hummed. "Well, there are two of his allies that stick out. There's Kamen Rider Huitzil, the Aztec Rider that has a habbit of eating his victims, and Kamen Rider Metatron, the Abrahamic Rider that serves as Osiris' 'recruiter'." he explained, and Ata hummed to himself. "And is there any way that we'll be able to pick them out of a crowd?" he asked, and Gunnar rolled his eyes, nodding.

"You remember when you fought the two idiots and the sky shifted, getting all cloudy and shit? That's called an "Emperor's Ring'. The size and force of it is dependant on the strength of the Riders involved in the fight. When I fought those two alone a while back, the ring was near non-existant, so believe me when I say that if me and you were to run into Osiris, it wouldn't be pretty." he explained, and Ata remained silent, keeping to himself as he thought.

"The location is a lot farther away than I'd have thought." Akira said, the two groups traversing the vast sea to their destination. The location they were given was to the west, Ryuusei noticing that it wasn't even in Japan at all. "This guy is a lot smarter than you'd think. He'll do anything it takes to start a fight." he explained, his own experiences with the 'Black Knight' and his alternate forms making him bitter. "My only question is, how does a guy like that have any allies?" Kasumi asked, and Ryuusei chuckled, a bitter sound.

"Because they fear him. There's no way anyone would willingly work with such an evil person." he said, and Right seemed to disagree, despite the fact that he remained silent. His mind was on Baldr, the ethereal Rider that make quick work of all of them. "What about Baldr? Do you know anything about him?" Right asked, Ryuusei narrowing his eyes. "I can't say for sure. There are a few rogue Riders that the government keeps track of. If he was one of them, and he teamed up with this 'Black Knight' character, I'd have to notify my superiors so that we can use our full force to take both of them down." he said, his fists clenched at his side.

The group soon reached their destination, the sun high in the sky, Ryuusei estimating it was around noon local time. When they exited the Rainbow Line's train, something the ToQgers were surprised Ryuusei of all people could not only see, but ride, they looked about in surprise. The location they were given was a small village, the weather hot and humid. The village was hidden within a forest, the foliage thick and a vibrant green. A breeze blew, and the scent of water hit their noses, letting them know that there was a large body of water nearby. They walked up to the village's gates, casting their eyes up.

The gates were ornate, but wide open, as if invinting them in. The archway atop the gates was made with a dark, reddish wood that was aged, giving them an idea as to how old the gates were. They had deep, carved grooves swirling through them, all moving towards the center, where a face, long and grimacing, was carved, a small sign hanging beneath it, reading simply 'Kowhanga-O-Tu'.

"Do we head inside, or wait for someone to come to us?" Tokacchi asked, and a silence set over the group. It was broken by Takaharu, the red ninja simply froaning loudly and walking through the gates, his eyes scanning the many huts and houses within the village. Animals moved about freely, packs of dogs happily running about playing with each other, cats lounging atop houses and on window ledges. It seemed rather peaceful and calm, something that the group found surprising.

Ata stepped back, hesitating as he trained with Yuma, his goal to teach the boy how to combat a long ranged reapon with his Ongekibou. Yuma picked up on this and stopped, Gunnar watching from the sidelines. "Something wrong?" The norseman asked, and Ata looked to the sky, inhaling deeply with a furrowed brow. "Something doesn't feel right. "

The group was promptly stopped. Not by an obstacle or person, but by a voice. A woman's voice, powerful and high pitched, began to croon, belting out loud, rough notes in a language that none of them could speak nor understand. The voice had to have been traveling far, as the person it stemmed from was nowhere in sight. However, it did have an effect on the village. As if on cue, men and women began to file out of the huts and houses in the village, their hands filled with some form of weapon or another. The women stayed back, holding their weapons, short wooden blades and stone clubs, tightly, their children behind them.

The men, bare chested and barefoot, held odd looking spears, the staff portion teardrop shaped, some having flat, squared off edges. The people of the village varied in appearance, their skin fair to brown, their hair ranging in colors and textures. The only thing that was consistent was that the men that slowly approached them, spears in hand, were all grimacing, making some form of snarling face. Their eyes bulged as they began to shout, making primal sounds that didn't compliment the woman's booming voice that still eminated from some place they couldn't see.

They all remained still and silent as the men took formation,an open path to the largest building that sat in the center of the village. The group made to move forward, but a lone figure emerged from the building. Clearly an important figure, his chest and shoulders were adorned with tribal tattoos, intricate swirls and patterns that were also on his face, surrounding his lips and jaw, giving him a menacing appearance. He wore but a loin cloth made of straw and cloth, and in the waistband of his garb was a large plant, a leafy thing roughly the size of an open hand. His face was the most gruesome, the markings across his face only adding to his fearsome look as he twirled his spear about, making slashing and stabbing motions accompanied by shouts and grunts as he approached.

He soon twirled his staff beneath his arm, placing his left hand on his hip and hopping in place. With a grunt, he hopped forward on one foot, bouncing forward like a bounding deer with grunts and loud exhales, the woman still belting out loud notes in the backround, the other men very still, poised to attack at a moment's notice as the bounding barbarian approached.

When he reached them, his exhaled, eyes bulging as he reached down and pulled the large leafy plant from his waistband. He stepped forward, placing it on the ground at their feet before rising up and shouting, jabbing his spear in their directiong and them at the plant, sticking his tongue out and waving it about like the tail of a rattlesnake. He jabbed his staff up in each direction, the men on each of his sides hopping in place and tensing their muscles, all eyes on the intruders as the woman's voiced died out suddenly.

"What do we do now?" Tokacchi whispered, the entire village watching them intently, each pair of eyes locked on them. Takaharu groaned, taking a broad step forward. "I don't have time for this. I came here for that black knight guy." He said, taking another step forward. He heard a crunch, and realized that he stepped on the large leafy plant that was placed on the ground before him. When he did, the entire village erupted. The men began shouting and grimacing loudly, the women rushing their children inside as the village came down on them.

Something was bothering Ata, and Yuma knew it. His left hand twitched randomly, the Maori seeming unfocused as they trained, sheer experience and skill allowing him to zone out as they sparred. "Something wrong?" He asked, Ata humming as he stepped back, palms open. "I can sense that something is happening that relates to me." he said, and Yuma tilted his head slightly. "What do you mean by that?" he asked, and Ata exhaled. "Not sure. Regardless, you need to keep focused." Ata said, his right palm striking Yuma in the midsection and sending him sliding back.

Takaharu wasn't happy. The group had created space, everyone transforming to combat the savage natives of the village. The man who brought the leaf was locked in single combat with Takaharu, putting in a valiant effort against the red ninja. "What brings you to my village?" the man asked, Takaharu taken by surprise at how fluent the man was at speaking Japanese. This surprise allowed the man an opening, the flat end of his staff cracking Takahru in the left temple. The man used the natural momentum,the recoil from the strike allowing him to swing down, striking the ninja in the collarbone and driving him back.

"I came for that black knight, and I'm not leaving until he shows!" he shouted, rising back to a vertical base and throwing a stiff straight right kick. He struck his foe in the chest, forcing him to slide back and drop his weapon. The man exhaled raggedly, coughing and shaking his head. "There is no knight here, but if you search for a strong warrior, than I, Te-Waha-O-Tumatauenga, am more than a match for you!" he shouted, charging forward.

The battle carried on throughout the day, hundreds of men and women seeming to file out of the houses, even some young children taking a stab at the foreign intruders, who proved too much to handle. In the end, many of the warriors remained injuried, defeated and simply scattered across the village, watching the sole standing native, Waha, remain locked in combat with Takaharu, his allies all watching the savage man hold his own, neither warrior giving the other any slack.

However, this began to agitate Meteor, who moved forward. "I've had enough of this bullshit!" he said, bounding forward and throwing a right side kick at Waha. Takaharu jumped back, Waha hesitating, too focused on the red ninja to notice that someone else made to attack him. When Waha was struck, he flew back, his spear snapped in twain as he hit the hard ground and bounced, rolling back and tumbling until he looked up, defeated and wounded.

However, he didn't see the sky. He saw a massive form near him, a smile crossing his face as the form moved over him, the final bastion of the village having finally awoken, risen to protect it's glory and honor. The many suited fellows hesitated, in awe of the man that moved towards them slowly.

He stood at the least seven feet tall, his hair, long, curled and black cascading down his shoulders and back like the mane of a lion. His face was heavily carved, the green and black markings across the face of his people spreading across his features, his hairless face stoic, his dark eyes looking over them with a nonchalant disdain. He rolled his shoulders, broad and heavily carved as well, the markings expanding across his chest and back, down his abdomen and across his legs, the man wearing naught but an ornate loincloth. The group all became defensive, knowing that this man was strong, his lack of emotion worrying them as he merely inhaled.

Ata and Poe shot up, the group sitting around a fire that night eating. They looked to the south, then to each other. "What the fuck is going on?" Poe asked, and Ata only frowned. Gunnar tilted his head, humming. "What do you mean?" he asked, and Ata frowned. "He's fighting. He never fights unless someone attacks the village." he said, and Yuma blinked. "Who is that?" he asked, and Ata inhaled. "Te-Whakahara-Whakawehiwehi-O-Tu-Kai-Taua. My father."


End file.
